AS the Premier League kicks off again, it’s time to get to know a new roster of presenters helming the Saturday evening highlights on Match of the Day.
This will be the first series of the show without Gary Lineker, who made his final appearance as Match of the Day host back in May.
Who is replacing Gary Lineker on Match of the Day?
The BBC announced in January that the new Match of the Day hosts would be Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan.
BBC Sports mainstay Logan is a household name from her work presenting Sports Personality of the Year, as well as regularly standing in for Gary Lineker on Match of the Day.
Cates is best known for her coverage of the Premier League for Sky Sports, while Chapman will be familiar to viewers for his long-running position as a rugby league presenter at the BBC.
The three stars will share the presenting duties across the weekends, with Match of the Day 2 now rebranded to just Match of the Day.
Chapman is hosting the opening MOTD of the season on Saturday night, with Logan on the Sunday night.
Who are the Match of the Day pundits?
Wayne Rooney has joined the MOTD set up for punditry duties.
The ex-England captain, 39, netted a huge two-year deal and will be officially unveiled this month.
Rooney is also signed up as a panellist for the BBC’s 2026 World Cup coverage from the US, Mexico and Canada.
The Premier League’s record goalscorer Alan Shearer joins Rooney on his official debut show.
While Joe Hart and Danny Murphy will be the pundits alongside Logan on Sunday’s show.
Why did Gary Lineker leave Match of the Day?
Gary Lineker announced he was stepping down from the BBC in November 2024, after over 25 years with the broadcaster.
It was initially reported that Lineker would present the BBC’s FA Cup and 2026 World Cup coverage as a ‘farewell’, but he was then sacked from the BBC entirely following an antisemitism row earlier this year.
After facing criticism for posting a cartoon that represented supporters of Israel as rats, Lineker stated that “stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”
Will Lineker do any presenting on other shows?
Gary Lineker is now set to front game show The Box on ITV. Originating in Norway, the format involves celebrities being trapped in boxes and having to complete daring challenges.
Gary will also be continuing his work with his podcast company Goalhanger Productions, where he fronts The Rest Is Football with fellow Match of the Day hosts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.
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