Gary Lineker, host of Match of the Day, will submit his resignation from the BBC on Monday and will not be hosting its coverage of the 2026 World Cup.
The 64-year-old host, who has been presenting Match of the Day since 1999, when he took over from Des Lynam, revealed last year that he was leaving the BBC.
As news that BBC bosses now believe Lineker’s position “untenable” emerged, the broadcaster confirmed that his resignation statement is to be made on Monday.
“It’s a sad end to a great broadcasting career,” an insider told The Sun.
Following the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) calls for his dismissal, the 64-year-old resigned after he “apologised unreservedly” for sharing and later removing a post from the Palestine Lobby group on his Instagram account that featured a rat photo.
The Sun says the former Tottenham, Barcelona and Everton striker will remain in his role for Sunday’s valedictory Match of the Day presentation and will not feature in next year’s World Cup, which will be held in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
He hosted the BBC coverage of the FA Cup final on Saturday evening as Crystal Palace defeated Manchester City 1-0.
Following a controversy over impartiality after remarks he made against the then-government’s latest asylum policy, Lineker was suspended by the BBC from service for a short time in March 2023
In February, he and five hundred other prominent people signed an open letter asking the BBC to repeat the documentary Gaza: How to Survive A War Zone on BBC iPlayer.
Although he will continue to host World Cup and FA Cup coverage, Lineker told us in November that he would be leaving his Match Of The Day presenting job at the end of the current campaign.
According to the BBC’s annual report released in July, the presenter has been the highest-paid on-air talent for seven years running, with an estimated £1.35 million in 2023-2024. According to reports, he was open to continuing at Match Of The Day after he resigned, but he was presented with a new contract.
Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates, and Mark Chapman will take over from the Leicester-born presenter on Match Of The Day from the following Premier League season.
Lineker started his broadcasting career early, working on Grandstand and as a radio presenter on BBC Radio Five Live before getting a job on the show.
Goalhanger Podcasts produces the popular The Rest Is History series and political, football, entertainment, and money spin-offs, with the former England striker being a co-founder.