'Utter nonsense!' - Gary Lineker hits back at 'not true' report claiming £14m World Cup deal is 'revenge' plot against BBC as Premier League again linked with Netflix TV rights

Lineker severed ties with the BBC at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. After 25 years of hosting Match of the Day, and as the corporation’s highest-earning presenter, his contract was cut short - denying him the chance to bow out at the 2026 World Cup.

He will, however, be heading to the United States next summer. Lucrative terms have been agreed with streaming giants Netflix to bring fans a flavour of life at FIFA’s flagship event. The Daily Mail claims "the Netflix bonanza not only represents Lineker’s first steps to redemption, but revenge". They go on to say that the 65-year-old "has his sights on making his former employers pay".

A supposed acquaintance is quoted as saying: "Gary will miss dreadfully the exposure the BBC would have offered him. Like most television presenters, he has a big ego and it will be hard for him to watch other people doing what he will still see as his job. This (the World Cup) should have been his big send-off and while the money will ease the pain, it will still sting."

It has not taken Lineker long to land another big-money contract following his departure from the BBC. He is said to "feel vindicated by the fact one of the biggest players in the world wanted him". There is the potential for a working relationship with Netflix to become "the start of a beautiful relationship, and one which comes back to wallop the BBC right in the chops".

Lineker’s ‘Goalhanger Productions’ has been going from strength to strength, posting healthy profits as he works alongside long-standing allies in former ITV controller Tony Pastor and ex-BBC executive Jack Davenport. A source has told the Mail of that team: "They're smart and they’re TV guys. Podcasting was always just a stepping stone. They want to reinvent TV. They want to be able to take on Match of the Day. They want to build a media empire."

Said source added: "In August, Goalhanger signed a deal to show La Liga highlights and do a podcast on Spanish football (hosted by Lineker and broadcaster Alex Aljoe). The other podcasts, The Rest is History, The Rest is Entertainment and The Rest is Politics, are doing sold-out shows at major venues.

"They are moving into a different place. Their endgame has always been to take on telly because that's what they know. I think podcasting and audio has always been a stepping stone for them."

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Netflix is known to be in the market for football rights, having already branched out into the world of sport through boxing, WWE and NFL - while also delivering a number of documentary series, including ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’. They will also be housing the new FIFA gaming franchise.

Lineker may get the chance to rival the BBC if Premier League deals are done. A source added: “If Gary makes a success of this, and he probably will, then don’t be surprised if he turns to Netflix and says ‘Look, this has been a great success. How do we bid for Premier League rights next time around? How do we get, say, £5 billion together?’

"It might sound far-fetched but such numbers are small fry for Netflix, especially when you see that they are currently trying to buy Warner Brothers for $83bn. This feels like the start. And if Netflix do end up with the Premier League, who do you think will present the coverage? It would be the ultimate revenge for Gary and it would make him and his partners even more money. That’s the end game. He gives them instant credibility and authenticity."

While all of that sounds very exciting, Lineker has responded to the report - and the suggestion that he is out for "revenge" against the BBC - by posting on social media: "Not true. Utter nonsense." He will, however, have some role to play in 2026 World Cup coverage and may yet be involved in future domestic football projects.