Legendary presenter and pundit Gary Lineker has set a clear timeline for the end of his career in football broadcasting.
Lineker, aged 64, had already revealed earlier this year that he would be stepping down from his role hosting the BBC`s “Match of the Day” program after 26 years.
The former star striker for England and Barcelona is scheduled to make his final appearance on the football highlights show on May 25.
Despite this, he will continue to present the BBC`s live coverage of the FA Cup next season and will also lead the broadcasting team for the 2026 World Cup finals.
However, Lineker has now indicated that he doesn`t foresee his punditry work extending past that summer. In an interview with The Telegraph, he stated his intention to conclude his career in the field after the tournament.
“Once I’ve done the World Cup, I won’t be a football presenter again. I’ll focus more on my podcast empire,” he said.
Lineker is a co-owner of Goalhanger Productions, a podcast company that has achieved considerable success since its launch in 2018.
The company has grown to become the largest independent podcast producer outside of the United States and produces several highly-rated podcasts featuring well-known personalities.
Notable podcasts include “The Rest is Football,” co-hosted by Lineker alongside Micah Richards and Alan Shearer, as well as “The Rest is Entertainment,” hosted by television figure Richard Osman and respected journalist Marina Hyde.
Goalhanger Productions is also the platform for “The Rest is Politics,” a leading political podcast presented by Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell.
In recent years, Lineker has been notably outspoken on political matters, drawing criticism for some of his viewpoints.
However, the celebrated former player has pledged to avoid entering the political arena directly once his punditry career concludes in 2026.
He added: “I won’t get involved in politics, I never really have. Apart from the Brexit vote, because I did a lot of research on that and decided, ‘This could be worse than we think’.”
“I never back a government. I might criticise Sir Keir Starmer on Israel. But nobody knows my politics,” he clarified.
For the next season, Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates, and Mark Chapman are scheduled to take over from Lineker as the presenters of “Match of the Day.”
