Gary Lineker has been booked to appear as a special guest on ITV’s World Cup coverage of Germany v Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday evening, marking his first appearance on terrestrial television since leaving the BBC 13 months ago.
Lineker's Role in ITV's Coverage
The former Match of the Day presenter is currently in New York recording daily episodes of The Rest is Football podcast, which is being shown on Netflix. He has agreed to make a one-off appearance in ITV’s Brooklyn studio for the match.
Booking Lineker is another coup for ITV, which, as the Guardian revealed on Friday, has taken an early lead in the TV ratings battle with the BBC by recording four of the five highest viewing figures for matches in the first week of the tournament.
Lineker's World Cup Legacy and Criticism
Lineker presented coverage of six World Cups for the BBC, more than any other BBC broadcaster. However, he has been highly critical of his former employer’s approach to this tournament, particularly their decision to anchor their coverage in Salford.
Lineker left the BBC after 26 years in 2025 after repeatedly clashing with executives over his use of social media and alleged breaches of their editorial guidelines.
