Gary Lineker, the former England soccer player and now a media celebrity, will leave his role as a presenter for the BBC after facing criticism for reposting an Instagram story about Zionism which featured a picture of a rat.

Gary Lineker will depart from BBC after the season's final "Match of the Day" due to a social media post controversy. The post contained an antisemitic image. Lineker apologized for the error. He will not be part of the BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season's FA Cup.

His departure means someone will need to fill his vacant spot presenting the BBC’s coverage of the World Cup next year, as well as the FA Cup, which he had been set to return to. Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman were previously announced as the new Match of the Day presenters from next season onwards.