Gary Lineker will reportedly leave the corporation following his final Match of The Day appearance next week.

Gary Lineker is reportedly set to leave the BBC after 26 years. His last appearance on the broadcaster will be his final Match of the Day episode on May 25 and he will not front the channel’s 2026 World Cup following an antisemitism row. Although it was expected the 64-year-old would continue to contribute to shows on the broadcaster following his exit from the flagship football highlights show he is said to have realised his position was untenable.

He is believed to have met with BBC bosses last week and agreed to cut all ties with the corporation. This comes just five days after he was forced to apologise for sharing a controversial post which saw him accused of antisemitism. He faced huge backlash after he reposted a video which included an illustration of a rat. “It is a heartbreaking end to an extraordinary broadcasting career,” a source told The Sun.

Despite his Match of the Day exit Gary was also due to host the BBC’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup.

A source told the publication: “Gary acknowledged his position at the BBC, anchoring the most prestigious ­tournament in world football, was untenable, and he will not be hosting the World Cup.

He offered to step down at the end of the season, and did not want the BBC — an organisation he still holds in the highest of esteem — dragged into any further controversy.”

This comes after Lineker issued a full apology after sharing a controversial Instagram story that included a widely offensive image associated with antisemitism. He reposted a video from the group Palestine Lobby titled Zionism explained in two minutes, which featured an illustration of a rat – a symbol historically used by Nazi Germany to dehumanise Jewish people.