BBC chairman calls for huge change to Match of the Day as Gary Lineker exits

There are major changes coming to Match of the Day in the next year after Gary Lineker stepped down from presenting duties after 25 seasons in the role, with the programme set to adopt a more “digital” focus

Match of the Day should feature less highlights of Premier League games and more analysis from pundits, according to the BBC’s chairman.

Big changes are coming to the iconic weekend highlights show after long-serving host Gary Lineker announced he would be stepping down from presenting duties after 25 seasons.

The BBC have since decided to replace Lineker with three TV hosts who will share the role – Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan, with major changes expected for next season.

The broadcaster has signed a new deal with the Premier League to show highlights until the 2028-29 season, but the chairman of the organisation, Samir Shah, thinks the programme should move away from showing matches.

Speaking to the Times, he argued that many fans were able to instantly see matches on pirated streams or clips on social media – while games are usually also available on YouTube after full time.

Shah said the show “should not be built around highlights,” adding: “It should be built around analysis and examination of the match to give viewers a deeper insight.”

Lineker himself said it was the “right time” to depart from his role and revealed that the BBC were looking to go in a different direction with the show in light of their new deal with the Premier League.

“I feel this is now the right time,” Lineker said of his decision. “I think [with] the next [highlights] contract, they’re looking to do Match of the Day slightly differently, so I think it makes sense for someone else to take the helm.”

The new deal is said to include a more “digital focus”, according to the Guardian, with more clips of every goal scored for use on the BBC website, while it could also include the company “stretching out” with extra content and written analysis.

However, the idea of showing less football has been scoffed at by former Tottenham and Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp, who said people still want to see highlights of games, rather than listening to a “talk show”.

Lineker will continue to helm Match of the Day until the end of the season, while he has also agreed a deal with the broadcaster to host the 2026 World Cup.

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