Gary Lineker takes The Rest is Footbal podcast to Netflix for 2026 World Cup

Lineker had originally been due to front coverage of the tournament for the BBC, but he announced in May he’d be leaving the corporation earlier than planned following an antisemitism row.
The visualised podcast, which is hosted by Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, currently releases three episodes a week but will run daily on Netflix throughout the World Cup.
The deal marks the streamer’s first significant foray into football coverage and an expansion of its podcast portfolio, which is seen as an effort to rival YouTube.
Lineker said the deal was a “fantastic opportunity for the three of us to do what we love – talk football every day – but on a truly global stage”.
“Expect all the usual analysis, honesty and plenty of laughs… just with a few more cameras pointed at us, all from the Big Apple.”
Production company Goalhanger said the show would feature “game analysis, special guests, interviews and insights into the world’s largest sporting event”, which will take place in the US, Canada and Mexico.
It will be filmed in a studio in New York, but with reporters dialling in from the England camp and fan zones.
Goalhanger was co-founded by Lineker and also makes other podcasts in The Rest Is series which focus on subjects such as politics, history, entertainment and money.
A version of the show will still exist on audio platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts during the World Cup, Netflix said.
Also next year, Lineker will start hosting a new ITV game show, The Box, in which 10 celebrities will be transported to unexpected locations in giant yellow boxes, and will have to complete challenges when they are let out.
In September, he was named best TV presenter at the National Television Awards, ending Ant and Dec’s 23-year winning streak.
Lineker left the BBC earlier this year after receiving significant backlash for sharing a social media post about Zionism that included a rat emoji, historically used as an antisemitic insult.
At the time, Lineker said he did not see the image and “would never consciously repost anything antisemitic”.
“However,” he added, “I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”
Lineker’s use of social media about political subjects had previously caused several issues due to the BBC’s impartiality rules.



