BBC presenter Gabby Logan will anchor the broadcaster's coverage of the World Cup final on Sunday, a role she has waited two decades to fulfil after being dropped from ITV's 2006 tournament coverage. The 53-year-old is now one of the most recognisable faces in UK sports presenting, having taken over as a permanent Match of the Day host in 2025 following Gary Lineker's departure.
Dropped from 2006 World Cup
Logan was a key part of ITV's football coverage in the early 2000s but left for the BBC in December 2006. Speaking on the White Wine Question Time podcast, she recounted how her ITV boss pulled her from the 2006 World Cup in Germany. 'I was scheduled to cover many knockout games and he said [not to return] basically. Go home and don't come back because I was due to go home for a few days,' she said. The snub left her worried about her career, feeling she might need to 'change direction and do something completely different' because a boss 'wasn't really into me and wanted to slightly demote me.'
BBC Salary Revealed
The BBC's annual report for the year ending March 31, 2026, shows Logan earned between £290,000 and £294,999. This sum covers her roles presenting Match of the Day, the Women's Euros (where England retained their title in July 2025), and Sports Personality of the Year. She earns the same as fellow sports presenter Jason Mohammad but less than Mark Chapman (£335,000-£339,999) and Alan Shearer (£390,000-£394,999). Gary Lineker, who left the BBC during the period, earned £325,000-£329,999, down from around £1.35m in his last full year.
Time Zone Challenges
The BBC has largely stayed in Salford for World Cup 2026 rather than setting up a permanent North American studio, saving considerable costs. However, the time difference has caused issues. 'I'm [jet-lagged] and I've been nowhere,' Logan joked on The Sports Agents. After the Portugal-Colombia game following England's match against Panama, she said, 'UK time we came off air just before three [in the morning]... I was getting into bed in Manchester sometime around quarter to four.' She added that she later returned south and 'found myself having a little lie down at three in the afternoon and waking up five hours later.'
Despite the challenges, Logan defended the BBC's approach. 'I think we've done a lot of tournaments like this now,' she said before the opening fixture. 'We did the Women's World Cup like this, we did the Women's Euros [in 2025] like this. There's lots of good reasons why we do that and I think our coverage has been exceptional on those tournaments and award-winning in the case of last week's BAFTAs.' She noted that the BBC has reporters and commentators on the ground, ensuring a strong on-the-ground feel.
World Cup Final Coverage
Logan will host the final alongside pundits Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, and Micah Richards as reigning World Cup and Copa America champions Argentina face European champions Spain at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday at 8pm UK time.
