Gary Lineker secures lucrative Netflix deal for World Cup podcast
Former England striker Gary Lineker has secured an exceptionally profitable agreement with Netflix to broadcast his popular football podcast during the 2026 World Cup in North America, reports BritPanorama.
The 64-year-old television personality will present The Rest Is Football from the tournament, which takes place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico beginning on 11 June.
Sources familiar with the arrangement described the financial terms as “extraordinarily lucrative” for the former footballer. The streaming giant’s move into live sports podcasting represents fresh territory for Netflix executives, who view the venture as an innovative development.
This marks Lineker’s return to World Cup broadcasting following his departure from the BBC earlier this year after a social media incident involving a post that featured an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult.
The veteran broadcaster had been scheduled to anchor the BBC’s tournament coverage as his final assignment after 25 years with the organization. Those plans were cancelled when the controversial repost emerged, marking the conclusion of a distinguished broadcasting career that saw him become the BBC’s highest-paid presenter.
The incident followed his 2023 suspension over remarks concerning the Conservative government’s immigration policy. Lineker’s podcast, which discusses current football topics alongside former players Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, had previously aired on BBC Sounds but departed with its host. It is currently available solely on YouTube and will find its new home on the streaming platform.
Whether Shearer and Richards will join Lineker for the Netflix broadcasts remains uncertain, though both may attend the tournament as BBC pundits. An insider revealed, “This will mean that Gary gets a huge payday; it is an extremely popular show, but when he left the BBC he took it with him.” The source added that the podcast’s profile will increase significantly with this move.
Upon announcing his BBC departure, Lineker stated, “I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for.” He acknowledged the upset caused and described stepping back as the responsible course of action.
The Rest Is Football is owned by Goalhanger Podcasts, the production company co-founded by Lineker in 2022. Beyond the Netflix arrangement, the presenter has also secured a contract with ITV to host The Box, a quiz programme featuring celebrity contestants.
This development highlights how the evolving media landscape continues to reshape sports broadcasting, an arena where even past icons are adapting to new formats. As the World Cup approaches, this shift may signal a broader trend in how audiences engage with sports content.
