Gary Lineker will step down as presenter of Match of the Day at the end of this season – but he’s not leaving the BBC just yet.
Lineker is ending 26 years with MOTD in May, at the expiry of his contract, but he’s extended his deal with the BBC for one more year to host the World Cup.
Before that tournament in North America next summer, the 64-year-old will also host the BBC’s live FA Cup matches during the 2025-26 campaign.
Why Gary Lineker feels it’s the right time to leave Match of the Day
In an exclusive interview with FourFourTwo, Lineker explained why he decided to call time on his 26 years as host of the Match of the Day highlights show.
“It felt like the right time,” he said. “If my contract had carried on until the end of next year, I’d have done it for another year, but I liked the idea of finishing at a World Cup, for my ego or whatever it is.
“It’s mainly as I just want to say the words, ‘England have won the World Cup’ – you’ll never hear from me again if that does happen, if those are my last words!
“I thought, ‘Do I do one more year of Match of the Day as well?’ They gave me the option, but in the end I thought, ‘I’ll just do the FA Cup, to keep my hand in before the World Cup’.
“I’ve always said that my ambition in broadcasting is not about me, it’s ‘Can I please one day say that England have won a tournament?’ I’ve only got one chance left…
“We’ve come very close in a couple in recent times and we’re capable – we’ve got the players that can do it. Fingers crossed. It might take a German coach to do it for us!”
Euro 2028 will be hosted by the UK, so it’s not impossible that England’s first trophy triumph since 1966 could be in the first tournament after his departure from the BBC.
“That’s what will happen!” Lineker said. “I said to someone the other day, ‘You know what’s going to happen here, don’t you? I am the jinx!’ As a player, a quarter-final and semi-final.
“Recently we’ve had two finals in the Euros and the semis of the World Cup – maybe I’m the jinx, maybe I should go this summer! I’ll have one more go…”
