Gary Lineker is to defect to Netflix with an ‘an extraordinarily lucrative’ deal which will see him star on the streamer during next year’s World Cup

Gary Lineker has secured what insiders are calling a “massively lucrative” new contract with Netflix — just months after his dramatic departure from the BBC. The former Match of the Day host, 65, is preparing to relocate to North America, where he will front The Rest Is Football during next year’s World Cup.

Lineker, who stepped down from the BBC in May following a storm of controversy over a social-media post he shared, appears more energized than ever as he begins the next phase of his career. According to sources close to him, the star now feels “freer and more creatively supported” than he has in years.

The move also signals a striking shift in his relationship with his former employer. While Lineker has not issued a direct attack on the BBC, those around him say he has made it clear that he is fully committed to his Netflix future and would only ever consider returning to the BBC if the Corporation “truly wanted him back.”

A friend of the presenter said:

“Gary is excited about his new chapter. He’s not looking over his shoulder. If the BBC wanted him again, they’d have to be the ones to make the first move.”

Netflix bosses are said to be “thrilled” with the acquisition. The streamer has never hosted the podcast before, and executives view it as a major step into global sports entertainment. The deal gives Lineker a high-profile platform during the World Cup — something the BBC had originally planned before cutting ties after the social-media row.

It remains unclear whether co-stars Alan Shearer and Micah Richards will join him for the US recordings, though both may appear in the BBC’s American coverage as pundits.

Lineker founded Goalhanger Podcasts in 2022, and taking The Rest Is Football with him has ensured he maintains control over one of the UK’s most successful sports shows. The podcast received over eight million YouTube views in July alone.

Alongside the Netflix deal, Lineker will also host The Box, a new ITV quiz show where celebrity contestants travel to secret locations to take part in a series of challenges.

When announcing his BBC exit, Lineker reiterated that he “never consciously reposted anything antisemitic,” adding that stepping back “felt like the responsible course of action” after the offence caused.