Gary Lineker will appear on ITV for Saturday’s World Cup coverage of Germany against the Ivory Coast in Toronto.
The former Match of the Day host will feature on the BBC’s arch-rivals, just over a year on after leaving the corporation.
Insiders have described the arrangement as a guest appearance, although the precise nature of his role remains uncertain.
ITV’s broadcast from the Canadian city begins at 8pm, with the Group E encounter scheduled to kick off at 9pm.
Lineker had been expected to conclude a 26-year association with the BBC at this summer’s tournament.
Instead, his tenure came to an abrupt end in May 2025 following sustained criticism of his activity on social media.
The controversy centred on political posts, including what the former England striker described as the unwitting sharing of an Instagram image depicting a rat, a symbol with antisemitic connotations.
The broadcaster’s highest-paid presenter of all time apologised in response to the outcry over the post.
He departed the corporation at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, bringing his long-standing relationship with the public broadcaster to a close.
Following his BBC exit, Lineker secured a deal with Netflix, reportedly valued at £14million, to front The Rest Is Football podcast, produced through his company Goalhanger.
Throughout the tournament, the former striker has been recording daily episodes alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards from a studio located in Times Square
His agreement with the streaming giant is not believed to contain any clauses that would prevent him from appearing on ITV.
For Saturday’s fixture, he is anticipated to take on a punditry role rather than presenting duties.
ITV has assembled a strong lineup of analysts for their World Cup coverage, featuring Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Roy Keane among their team.
The channel appears to be outperforming the BBC in the battle for World Cup audiences, with the broadcaster securing four of the five highest-rated broadcasts so far.
England’s 4-2 triumph over Croatia drew a peak audience of 15.4 million viewers and an average of 10 million, making it the most-watched programme in Britain this year.
The tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa attracted 7.7 million at its peak, with an average of 6.6 million tuning in.
By contrast, the BBC’s coverage of France against Senegal managed a peak of just 6.7 million and a match average of 5.9 million.
The BBC has opted against sending pundits to the United States until the knockout rounds and lacks a studio presence in the country, while ITV has invested heavily, broadcasting from a striking Manhattan location.
