BBC announce name change to famous Match of the Day show after Gary Lineker exit
It's been a staple on our TV screens for years but the BBC have made a change ahead of the new season
Kelly Cates is one of three presenters fronting the new Match of the Day this season
(Image: BBC iPlayer)
The BBC's iconic football highlights show Match of the Day is entering a new era this season — and fans will notice big changes both on screen and behind the scenes.
For the first time in its history, the Sunday edition of the programme will no longer be known as Match of the Day 2. Instead, it will carry the same name as the Saturday night show. The midweek Champions League highlights programme will also follow suit, unifying the brand under the single Match of the Day title.
It's part of a shake-up to coincide with the departure of long-time host Gary Lineker, who stepped down at the end of last season after 25 years in the hot seat.
In his place, the BBC will use a rotating trio of presenters — Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan — to front the coverage throughout the 2025/26 campaign.
The change is designed to streamline the BBC's football coverage and reflect the fact that all editions, whether Saturday, Sunday or midweek, will share the same format and production style.
Mark Chapman, who will present the opening show of the season this Saturday, told Radio Times: 'I'm intrigued, really, because I've never viewed Saturdays and Sundays as any different.'
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Gabby Logan agreed, saying the Sunday night line-up has often rivalled the Saturday edition.
'There have been a lot of occasions where the Sunday show has been a stronger line-up,' she said.
'It's not Match of the Day 1, Match of the Day 2 — it's just Match of the Day.'
Cates will front the first midweek highlights programme of the new season, covering the UEFA Super Cup clash between Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain.
Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney will be among the pundits joining Chapman for Saturday's opening show, with Micah Richards continuing in his regular role.
The shake-up follows Lineker's controversial exit earlier this year, which came after he shared a pro-Palestinian video on social media that included a rat emoji.
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Lineker later said he had been unaware of the symbol's antisemitic connotations, but admitted the row left him with a stark choice: 'quit or be quitted.'
Despite his departure, the BBC is confident the new set-up will maintain Match of the Day's strong viewing figures.
The programme has averaged around 3.5 million viewers in recent seasons, even with live TV games, streaming services and social media clips competing for attention.
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