BBC adds four surprise stars to Match of the Day team for the new season
BBC has added four new pundits to its Match of the Day team, while six regulars are currently missing from the lineup. The famous Premier League highlights show will be back this Saturday, kicking off the 2026/27 season, with Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, and Gabby Logan continuing as hosts.
This season, you’ll see four fresh faces analyzing all the Premier League action. The BBC confirmed that Thomas Frank, Ashley Young, Robbie Keane, and Toby Alderweireld have joined the Match of the Day team. Frank, who managed Brentford and Spurs, impressed viewers during the World Cup coverage, while Ashley Young made his debut on Sky Sports. Striker Robbie Keane is stepping into media work after leaving his manager role in Hungary, and Alderweireld, a Belgian defender with 200 Premier League games under his belt, is a surprising but welcome new addition. He’s already been working as a pundit back home.
Familiar faces like Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Ellen White, Steph Houghton, Danny Murphy, and Ashley Williams will continue to appear on the show. However, a BBC announcement didn’t mention some usual pundits, and there are reports that Martin Keown, Dion Dublin, Shay Given, Stephen Warnock, Nedum Onuoha, and Theo Walcott might be stepping back to make room for the newcomers. The BBC told The Athletic that Given, Onuoha, and Walcott haven’t signed contracts yet, but all are expected to remain part of the team.
There were recent rumors that some pundits might leave to join “The Rest is Football” on Netflix, hosted by longtime Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker. The Netflix live shows during the World Cup were a big hit, so the program will continue for the Premier League season with episodes on Mondays and Fridays.
After 26 years, BBC has ended Football Focus but announced several new shows on its YouTube channel. These include “FANS²,” which features debates between passionate fans, and “The Truth About Football,” with quick 90-second episodes exploring the deeper stories behind the sport using animation, tactics, data, history, psychology, and culture. Other returning shows are “Golden Goal,” “Football Hub,” “Group Chat,” and “Game Changer.” Plus, “The Football Interview” is back, with James Maddison chatting with Kelly Somers in the first episode.
The new season opens with champions Arsenal hosting newly promoted Coventry City on Friday. Match of the Day’s first episode will also show Hull City vs Manchester United, Ipswich Town vs Sunderland, Everton vs Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest vs Leeds, and Brentford vs Spurs. On Sunday, matchups include Manchester City vs Bournemouth, Brighton vs Aston Villa, Newcastle vs Liverpool, and the weekend wraps up with the West London derby between Fulham and Chelsea.