A New Era Begins for BBC Match of the Day

• The Match of the Day program will have a new look without Gary Lineker.
• The hosts will be Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Kelly Cates.
• The program format will remain unchanged, but the hosts will rotate.

The Match of the Day program, which is the flagship football show of the BBC, will have a new look when it airs at 22:20 British time on Saturday, showcasing the matches from the first round of the 2025-26 Premier League season.

For the first time since 1999, Gary Lineker, the former England striker, will not be the permanent host of the program following his departure from the BBC in March. Instead of a single host, the BBC has decided to divide the role among three experienced sports presenters: Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Kelly Cates.

Chapman, 51, will host the show this Saturday alongside experts Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney. At the event in London, he joked that the only thing he is thinking about before going on air is: "Don't mess it up."

Logan, 52, has over 15 years of experience working at the BBC, including hosting Match of the Day, while Cates, 49, also has extensive experience in presenting sports programs. The trio of hosts will rotate their duties, maintaining a similar quantity of shows.

The program format will remain unchanged, including the signature music theme. It is hoped that the new hosts will be able to reflect viewers' thoughts after the matches, discussing the most significant moments.

Match of the Day has been airing since 1964. The program retains the rights to broadcast the FA Cup, the World Cup 2026, and other important football events.

Changes in the hosting will bring a certain super celebrity, especially Lineker, who was a regular on the program, leaving the BBC after his controversial comments on social media. He earned £1.35 million a year, but his comments were deemed to breach BBC politics.

Tags: Sport/Football