The BBC is drawing up plans for a digitally focused revamp of Match of the Day after Gary Lineker confirmed he will leave the flagship football programme at the end of this season. Lineker, who has presented the show for 25 years, said on his podcast that the next contract would see the programme done “slightly differently”, making it sensible for someone else to take over.
Despite the loss of his £1.3m salary, Lineker is expected to remain financially secure through his Goalhanger podcast empire. The BBC, meanwhile, sees “untapped potential” in the Match of the Day brand, particularly after securing new digital rights in a deal signed last year that will allow it to use clips on its online platforms from 2025.
While the broadcaster is unlikely to compete directly with Sky Sports for rapid social media highlights, the new rights are thought to include goal clips for the BBC website and could allow the brand to “stretch out” across the weekend with more written content and analysis. A senior BBC source said the show remains “hugely popular” and that the digital shift presents an opportunity for growth rather than retrenchment.
Media analysts are broadly optimistic about the show’s future. Enders Analysis noted that sports viewing has declined only 3% since 2015, compared with a 26% drop for broadcast TV overall, and that Match of the Day already has a digital home. Last season, the programme attracted 247 billion viewing hours across all platforms, half of Sky’s live coverage total but at a fraction of the cost.
The search for Lineker’s successor is ongoing, with MOTD2 presenter Mark Chapman seen as the frontrunner, alongside Football Focus host Alex Scott and BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan. A BBC source insisted that the show’s future direction will remain focused on football, with presenters chosen for their knowledge of the sport rather than any “woke” considerations.
