Gary Lineker breaks cover as it’s revealed he’ll QUIT Match Of The Day & leave BBC after fronting 2026 World Cup

GARY Lineker has been spotted in public for the first time since it was revealed he would quit Match of the Day.

The former England striker will stop presenting Match of the Day at the end of this season before quitting the BBC after the 2026 World Cup.

Today, he was seen going for a walk with his beloved dog on a chilly Tuesday morning.

The ex-Three Lions bagsman donned a thick scarf as he went out for a stroll.

Lineker, who will take a substantial pay cut, will have hosted MOTD for 25 years when he steps down from the show.

But – as part of an 18-month contract extension – the 63-year-old will stay on to anchor the Corporation’s 2025/26 FA Cup coverage and the next World Cup.

Anchoring the World Cup, which is being held in Canada, Mexico and USA, will mean he bows out on the biggest stage in football.

Last night a BBC source said: “Gary absolutely adores Match of the Day, and has been incredibly happy at the BBC.

“But he has been at the helm since 1999, and by the time he leaves, he will have been at the Beeb for 30 years.

“He wants to leave on a high – and if England win the World Cup, it doesn’t get much higher.

“It’s one of the industry’s worst kept secrets that the new BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski and Gary aren’t exactly close. The former is very keen to make his mark by bringing in new faces, and slashing wage bills.

“Negotiations have been ongoing for the past six weeks and finally a deal has been struck that everyone is pleased with. 

“Gary is incredibly popular with both players and viewers, and news of his departure will send shockwaves around the Corporation. In other words, no-one is immune from change.

“Gary will be 65 when he leaves; frankly, he isn’t getting younger and just feels the time is right to focus solely on his mogul interests outside the BBC – namely his Goalhanger podcasting business which is becoming huge Stateside.

“BBC execs, meanwhile, will be giving Match of the Day a reboot to keep it fresh in the wake of such a huge departure.”

The former England striker is understood to be on new terms, which will see his salary reduced significantly.

He currently receives £1.35m, making him the highest paid broadcaster at the BBC.

The pay cut, in part, is because he will no longer be fronting MOTD – and stand alone payments for the World Cup and FA Cups won’t compensate for this financially.

Over the past two months there has been frenzied speculation that the star was leaving the BBC’s flagship football programme. 

Last month a reported leaked email suggested he could be quitting the long-running series mid-season – promoting Gary to joke on air it was his “last game”- before clarifying he meant before the international break. 

In a recent interview with Esquire Magazine, the ex Spurs star was asked if was stepping down from the Match of the Day hotseat.

He replied: “I could do. Whether that will be the case I don’t know.

“At some point, I have to slow down somewhere… I’m getting old.”

The Sun previously revealed Lineker – who took over from Des Lynam in 1999 – was keen to stay on MOTD and had offered to take a pay cut.