Former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has taken aim at the BBC over its coverage of this summer’s World Cup. The former England striker insisted he would be attending this year’s competition directly from the US, but Beeb will have to make ends meet at his Salford headquarters. Lineker had intended to remain with the broadcaster, which hosts the tournament, despite stepping down as presenter of the popular highlights show in May 2025.
However, he left the BBC earlier than planned. This followed a controversy in which he shared a social media post about Zionism that included a rat emoji, which was classified as an anti-Semitic insult. The former England international has apologized for the post and plans to leave the club immediately. In a twist of fate, Lineker will be in North America for this summer’s tournament as his podcast, “The Rest Is Football,” has secured a daily show deal with Netflix to be recorded in New York City.
Speaking to James O’Brien on LBC’s Full Disclosure podcast in late February, the former Leicester forward addressed his departure but sought to hold his former employers accountable. He said, “I was already doing[the podcast]but then other offers started coming in pretty quickly. And again, this was because people realized[his social media posts]were a genuine mistake.”
“In hindsight it’s true. I didn’t want this to happen but it happened. I had Saturday off so I’m going to do the Netflix World Cup in New York while the BBC is doing the World Cup in Salford and things worked out.”
Since leaving Match of the Day, Lineker has remained busy with his podcast, which he co-hosts with Micah Richards and Alan Shearer. He also participates in the Bowlers League.
Goal Hunger, the podcast company co-founded by Lineker that backs other big brands like The Rest Is Politics, recently signed a deal with Netflix to make its soccer edition a daily TV show on the streaming service during this summer’s World Cup in North and Central America.
The former Barcelona man is also the face of new game show The Box, which will air on ITV later this year. Speaking about his new role as host, he told O’Brien: “I’ve got a new series…a reality show that I’m actually hosting. I’ve always been asked to be on a reality show, but I’ve always said I won’t be on it until Ant & Dec retires or Claudia gives up.”
“It’s called ‘The Box’ and it’s a lot of fun. It’s completely different from anything I’ve done before. I like the look of the idea. I think it’s really smart. It’s lighthearted and a lot of fun.”
Mr Lineker apologized for the posts that led to his departure from the BBC last May, insisting he had not seen the images and would “never consciously repost anything that was anti-Semitic”.
He added: “However, I recognize the mistake and upset I have caused and reiterate how sorry I am. I feel it is the responsible thing to do now to withdraw.”
