Gary Lineker, the renowned former England captain and broadcaster, is poised to make an unexpected appearance as a pundit for ITV's 2026 World Cup coverage this Saturday. Lineker is understood to be joining the panel for the Group E fixture between Germany and Ivory Coast, with ITV's broadcast commencing at 8pm BST.
This development is particularly noteworthy given Lineker's prominent role with Netflix during the tournament. He has been hosting daily episodes of 'The Rest Is Football' podcast, produced by his company Goalhanger Podcasts, alongside Micah Richards and Alan Shearer from a New York City apartment overlooking Times Square. Netflix is reported to have invested a significant sum, believed to be around £14 million, to house the podcast during the World Cup, seemingly positioning itself as Lineker's primary platform for the event.
However, Lineker is not exclusively tied to the streaming giant, allowing him to feature on ITV's coverage, which directly competes with the BBC – his former employer of 26 years. His departure from the BBC was expedited in May last year, following considerable criticism regarding political commentary he made on social media, including a controversial Instagram post that drew widespread attention.
The 65-year-old, who was the BBC's highest-earning on-air talent, had originally been slated to present his seventh World Cup for the broadcaster. However, his decision to leave meant tearing up plans for him to front the 2026 World Cup and the following season's FA Cup. Lineker was not initially included in ITV's announced list of pundits for the tournament, which features established names like Roy Keane and Ian Wright, alongside newer additions such as Juan Mata and Ange Postecoglou.
This move is seen as another blow to the BBC, which has faced criticism for broadcasting its World Cup coverage from its MediaCity studios in Salford, rather than from on-site in the United States. In contrast, ITV has staged its coverage from a lavish set in Brooklyn, showcasing the Manhattan skyline. Early ratings have also favoured ITV, which reportedly broadcast four of the top five most-viewed games in the first week of action, including England's 4-2 victory over Croatia, which attracted a peak audience of 15.4 million viewers and an average of 10 million.
Lineker's appearance as a pundit, rather than a presenter, for ITV marks a significant shift and adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing competition between the UK's major broadcasters for football viewership.