Who could take over from Gary Lineker as Match of the Day host?

BBC Sport has confirmed it is blowing the whistle on Gary Lineker’s 25 years as presenter of Match of The Day, ITV News’ Correspondent Ian Woods reports
Gary Lineker will step down from Match of the Day at the end of the season after 25 years as the frontman, the BBC has confirmed.
BBC News reported that Lineker will host their coverage of the 2025/26 FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup, but that he has not been offered a new contract for Match of the Day.
It has left fans wondering who could replace the former England striker?
These are some of the candidates who could be up for the job.
Alex Scott
Scott’s career in broadcasting kicked off in 2017 after a career playing for Arsenal and England.
She has a history working with Lineker – the two presented BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year – and her presenting credits also include The One Show and Football Focus.
Gabby Logan
Logan has worked as a relief presenter on MOTD, as well as a familiar face covering Six Nations rugby and the summer Olympic Games.
With a career as a former athlete herself, Logan also led the BBC’s coverage of the Lionesses’ 2022 Euros victory.
She’s co-hosted Sports Personality of the Year for over a decade.
Kate Abdo
Abdo grew up in Manchester but covers the Champions League for the US network CBS, where she’s also a regular sports pundit.
On CBS, she regularly presents with Thierry Henry, Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher.
She also had a career presenting boxing and hosted the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards.
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Mark Chapman
Known by fans as ‘Chappers’, he’s the presenter of MOTD’s little sibling, Match of the Day 2.
The BBC appointed him their chief rugby league presenter. But he’s also recognised for his football coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live, Monday Night Club and podcast The Sports Agents.
Jason Mohammad
A veteran of the BBC, Mohammad has worked at the broadcaster since 1997.
In 2013 he took over from Gabby Logan to present Final Score.
He’s had experience of the job, presenting MOTD in Lineker’s absence.
Kelly Somers
Somers has presented MOTD in the past and now covers men’s international football tournaments.
She’s appeared on Talksport, Premier League Productions and Final Score.
In March 2023, Somers was one of the presenters who said they would not appear on air following the BBC’s removal of Lineker from MOTD after his comments on the Illegal Migration Bill.
Alan Shearer
Shearer is a long-time football player and pundit, often appearing alongside Lineker.
They present The Rest is Football podcast together and is a regular pundit on MOTD, Football Focus and the BBC’s coverage of World Cup and Euros tournaments.
In 2004, Pelé named the former striker one of the world’s 100 greatest living players and he was one of the first two footballers to appear in the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Micah Richards
Richards had a career playing for Manchester City and Aston Villa before becoming a pundit on various sports channels.
He co-hosts The Rest is Football podcast with Lineker and Shearer and appears on MOTD regularly.
Lineker has already given Richards the seal of approval, telling him “I’d love to see you take over. I think you’d be brilliant in the chair”.
Gary Neville
He’s been a football pundit, guest entrepreneur on Dragon’s Den and panelist on comedy show Have I Got News For You? since his stint playing for Manchester United ended.
Lineker has said he wished “we’d had him on MOTD” but, as a prominent backer of the Labour Party and with a history making political remarks during ITV’s coverage of the 2022 World Cup Final, he could be a controversial choice.
Neville co-owns English Football League club Salford City.
Eilidh Barbour
Barbour has presented Match of the Day 2, the Women’s World Cup, Premiere League coverage for Amazon Prime Video, and Football Focus.
In 2017, the BBC named her their main golf presenter.
She walked out of the Scottish Football Writers’ Awards in 2022 after what she called “degrading” remarks about women.
Kelly Cates
Born in Glasgow, Cates’ father Sir Kenny Dalgish played for Celtic and Liverpool and managed at Anfield.
Cates has covered the Olympics, hosted Football on 5, and reported for BBC 5 Live.
ESPN has hired Cates for Premier League and Euro coverage.
Dan Walker
Walker is a 5 News presenter who can count BBC Breakfast and Football Focus on his CV.
He started his TV career at ITV Granada as a football commentator.
Returning to sports reporting, he recently he joined Amazon Prime’s Premier League Show.
Manish Bhasin
He presents Matchday Live for Premier League Productions as well as for the BBC.
Bhasin counts MOTD 2, The Football League Show and cricket World Cups as presenting credits.
In 2004, the age of 27, Bhasin became the youngest regular host of Football Focus.
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