Gary Lineker says he’s ‘allowed an opinion’ after leaving the BBC

Gary Lineker, the veteran football pundit, has spoken candidly about his newfound freedom since departing the BBC, revealing he is "not treading on so many eggshells these days" as he prepares for a major new venture with Netflix.

The 65-year-old stepped down from his long-standing role as presenter of Match Of The Day in May last year, concluding a 26-year tenure.

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His departure followed significant criticism regarding his political commentary on social media, notably a controversial Instagram post concerning Zionism that featured a depiction of a rat, an image historically associated with antisemitic tropes.

Lineker is now set to bring his popular podcast, The Rest Is Football, produced by his company Goalhanger Podcasts, to Netflix. The streaming giant will host a daily television show for the 2026 World Cup, featuring Lineker alongside fellow former footballers Micah Richards and Alan Shearer, providing coverage from the tournament across the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Reflecting on his career transition, Lineker told the Press Association: "I’ve got a bit more time, I’m not treading on quite so many eggshells these days, I’m allowed an opinion on things."

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He added: "But no, I had a wonderful period at the Beeb, and I’ve covered so many major tournaments with, and obviously I was going to do this (the 2026 World Cup) originally, but now I’m doing something different, which is really exciting."

While acknowledging his positive time at the BBC, Lineker expressed surprise at their limited coverage plans for the upcoming World Cup. "I’m a bit surprised the Beeb are not going until possibly the very latter stages of the competition, so I won’t miss being in the green box itself, but I miss some of the company," he stated.

He clarified that his new show would not compete directly with the BBC, which holds live football rights, but would offer a complementary viewing experience.

"We’re not in competition with the BBC in this, because obviously they’re focused on live football, we haven’t got the rights, but we’ve got a show that people can watch alongside," he explained, adding: "I think the BBC and ITV both, obviously, cover football brilliantly."

However, the former Barcelona striker, renowned for never receiving a yellow card during his playing career, also voiced significant apprehension regarding the 2026 tournament. His concerns centre on the US co-hosting the event, particularly in light of actions by US President Donald Trump, including his administration’s stance on Iran, a nation competing in the World Cup.

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Lineker drew parallels with previous World Cups, recalling controversies such as LGBT+ rights in Qatar in 2022 and Russia’s hosting in 2018, four years after its invasion of Crimea.

He remarked: "This time we’ve got a first, probably I think, we’ve got the host nation at war with one of the competing countries, you’ve got an unpredictable leader."

Despite these anxieties, he expressed hope that the sport itself would ultimately prevail. "But from my experience, which is a lot, once we get there, once it starts, it’s always alright, it’s always great, the football takes over, and I’m very much hoping that that’s the case, that we don’t have to cover the negatives and what’s gone on, and hopefully nothing goes wrong,"

Lineker concluded, admitting: "But I am a little bit more nervous about this one, I think, than others, for obvious reasons."