Gary Lineker has suffered a ratings humiliation as his Netflix World Cup podcast 'The Rest Is Football' languishes at number 7 on the streaming platform, while the BBC's coverage of the tournament breaks records. The BBC's live broadcast of England's dramatic victory over DR Congo on July 1 peaked at 16.3 million viewers across BBC One and BBC iPlayer, averaging 14 million throughout the match, making it the most-watched moment on the BBC in 2026.
Netflix Investment Fails to Draw Audience
Netflix invested £14 million to secure the rights for the visual podcast, which airs daily and will produce 22 episodes in total. Despite the hype, the show has only managed to attract around 100,000 daily viewers. Lineker hosts the program alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, broadcasting from Times Square, New York, offering expert analysis, interviews, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
BBC's Digital Success
The BBC, which declined to travel to the tournament and broadcasts from Salford, Manchester, has seen its live coverage page on the BBC website and app viewed more than 20 million times globally, including 14 million times in the UK. Notably, 860,000 visitors were aged 16-24. The BBC's visualised podcast 'Football Daily' has also outperformed Lineker's show, generating more than 2 million streams during the group stages.
Lineker's Departure from BBC
Lineker confirmed he was leaving the BBC after presenting his final episode of 'Match of the Day' on May 25, 2026. Although his exit from the weekly show had been expected, it was believed he would remain with the BBC to host the 2026 World Cup coverage. However, his departure was expedited after he shared an Instagram post about Zionism that included a drawing of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult.
Silver Lining for Lineker
Despite the low viewing figures, Lineker's show has become the first podcast to make the top ten on Netflix, which offers some consolation. The program continues to air daily throughout the World Cup tournament.
