Women among the leading candidates to replace Lineker as MOTD host
The BBC has reportedly not offered a new contract to current Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, according to insiders from Dailymail. Following this news, speculation has already begun about potential candidates to fill his shoes.
Out of the seven frontrunners for the role, six are women.
One of the top contenders is former England women's football team defender Alex Scott. A pioneer as one of the first female football experts in England, Scott has been hosting Football Focus since 2021.
Other possible replacements for Lineker include Mark Chapman, the host of MOTD2, and Gabby Logan.
Among the other candidates are Kelly Cates, daughter of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish and a presenter at Sky Sports, as well as Eilidh Barbour, who covers Scottish Premiership matches for Sky Sports and golf for the BBC.
Other potential hosts include Kelly Sommers, a reporter for the BBC, and Laura Woods, who covers the Champions League for TNT Sports.
The BBC is also considering the possibility of rotating hosts, with multiple presenters taking turns to lead the show.
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
