Gary Lineker 'to leave Match of the Day' at the end of the football season

11 November 2024, 19:43 | Updated: 11 November 2024, 20:30

Gary Lineker is set to leave Match of the Day after presenting the show for 25 years, according to reports.

The former England striker will step down from presenting the Premier League highlights show, which he has hosted since 1999, at the end of the current football season.

It is understood he will stay at the BBC until the end of the next World Cup being held in the US, Mexico and Canada in 2026.

He will also continue to anchor the Corporation's 2025/26 FA Cup coverage, according to reports.

A BBC source reportedly told the Sun on Sunday night: “Gary absolutely adores Match of the Day, and has been incredibly happy at the BBC.

“But he has been at the helm since 1999, and by the time he leaves, he will have been at the Beeb for 30 years.

“He wants to leave on a high - and if England win the World Cup, it doesn’t get much higher.

“It’s one of the industry’s worst kept secrets that the new BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski and Gary aren’t exactly close. The former is very keen to make his mark by bringing in new faces, and slashing wage bills.

“Negotiations have been ongoing for the past six weeks and finally a deal has been struck that everyone is pleased with."

The 63-year-old has been the broadcaster's highest-paid star in recent years, currently earning £1.35m for his work on shows including Match Of The Day and Sports Personality Of The Year.

The presenter was briefly removed from from the show in March 2023 over comments he made on social media criticising the then Conservative government's asylum policies.

The BBC launched an independent review of its social media guidelines and Lineker shortly returned.

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In a recent interview with Esquire Magazine, the former Barcelona and Tottenham forward was asked if was stepping down from the Match of the Day hotseat.

He replied: "I could do. Whether that will be the case I don't know.

"At some point, I have to slow down somewhere... I'm getting old."

It is unclear who will take over from Lineker on Match Of The Day.

Former Tottenham Hotspur footballer Jermaine Jenas widely tipped be his natural successor but he was sacked from the BBC in August over claims of inappropriate behaviour.

The BBC has said it is not formally commenting on the matter.

The presenter is the co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts, which claims to be the UK's largest independent podcast firm.

Lineker presents his own podcast with Goalhanger called 'The Rest Is Football' alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.