Gary Lineker will end his stint as host at the end of the season but remain with the until the end of the 2026 World Cup, it has been claimed.

Lineker has been the longest-serving host in MOTD's history, having taken over as the anchor of the highlights show in 1999. At the time of writing, .

Earlier in 2024, was reportedly leaked suggesting an announcement over his exit was being drawn up. However, this was subsequently refuted, with the corporation indicating discussions were still ongoing over new terms.

In early October, the 63-year-old quipped that he was taking charge of his "final show... before the international break". Now, though, fresh reports suggest an end date is in sight.

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The former England striker's contract on the flagship show expires at the end of the current campaign. However, according to , a deal has been agreed with the Beeb to keep him on and World Cup duty for a little longer - with a 'substantial' pay-cut.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first with 48 teams involved. Lineker has been at the helm of a significant amount of tournament coverage for the BBC during his broadcasting career, including the 2024 European Championships.

Lineker is one of the highest earners on the BBC roster, for his work with the broadcaster. However, he dropped a hint about his future in a recent interview with , saying: “I could [leave]. Whether that will be the case I don’t know. At some point, I have to slow down somewhere… I’m getting old.”

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Lineker has a number of other irons in the fire, including podcast work. The former footballer, who will be 65 when his extended contract comes to an end, co-founder Goalhanger Productions and is a regular on The Rest is .

In September, the BBC confirmed he would not be part of for their new highlights show. Presenting duties have been shared between Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Jason Mohammad during the midweek broadcasts.

Earlier in the year, Lineker spoke to BBC Breakfast to commemorate Match of the Day's 60th anniversary. At the time, he appeared relaxed about his long-term future.

"It depends how long they want me, I suppose," he said. "I love doing it at the moment; I've still got another year left, at least. So we'll have to wait and see what happens."

"Obviously it's another change in football and television and the rights of the and stuff like that. All of these things will play a part. But I just feel it's been an absolute privilege to have presented it for 25 years now. I must be getting old!"

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