His departure means someone will need to fill his vacant spot presenting the BBC’s coverage of the World Cup next year, as well as the FA Cup, which he had been set to return to. Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman were previously announced as the new Match of the Day presenters from next season onwards.

Gary Lineker, a former England captain and the face of soccer on British television for over two decades, will leave the BBC, the broadcaster said in a statement on Monday. Lineker, 64, had been due to cover the 2026 World Cup for the broadcaster,

Gary Lineker rose to fame as a goalscoring hero for England at World Cups before becoming the leading face of sports broadcasting for the BBC over the past 25 years.