Football Focus axed, Match of the Day show name change, presenter shake-up after star left The BBC has made a number of changes to its football programming this season Comments Sport Jake Bayliss 05:00, 29 Apr 2026 View 3 Images Alex Scott has presented Football Focus since 2021 (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images) The BBC has made several huge changes to its football programming since the start of the season. The broadcaster recently announced that Football Focus is set to be axed at the end of this campaign , having first been shown on Grandstand in 1974. A BBC press release said the decision to call time on the long-running programme, which has been presented by Alex Scott since 2021, was based on "changing audience behaviours" and its "need to respond appropriately". Director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski said: “Football Focus has been a hugely important programme in the history of BBC Sport and has played a key role in telling the stories of the game for generations of viewers. “This decision was made before last week’s wider BBC savings announcement, reflecting the continued shift in how audiences engage with football and our commitment to evolving how we deliver content to reach fans wherever they are.” JOIN OUR WALES FOOTBALL FB PAGE! Get latest news, analysis and more on The Dragons The absence of Football Focus from the BBC’s weekly schedule will have knock-on effects for other football shows next term , while this season has also seen major changes to Match of the Day. Here, WalesOnline rounds up how the broadcaster has altered its football output over the past year. New weekend schedule The gap left by Football Focus had led the BBC to make two scheduling changes ahead of next season. The show currently has a Saturday lunchtime slot, looking ahead to the weekend’s games. It has been announced that The Football Interview, hosted by Kelly Somers, will move to 12.45pm on Saturdays for the 2025/26 campaign. The programme’s previous guests this season include Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Manchester City star Bernardo Silva, Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike and Manchester United boss Michael Carrick. In addition, Final Score will start at the earlier time of 3.45pm, ensuring fans receive more updates from games across the country. Similar to Football Focus, the show originally formed part of Grandstand before becoming a standalone programme in 2001 and is presented by Jason Mohammad. Both shows will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer. View 3 Images Jason Mohammad presents Final Score for BBC Sport (Image: Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA) Match of the Day name change A subtle tweak was made to Match of the Day this season as the BBC scrapped the Match of the Day 2 title for the Sunday edition of the show. The broadcaster’s Champions League highlights show also uses the Match of the Day banner, making it easier for fans to find football highlights. Ahead of the season, Match of the Day presenter Mark Chapman said to the Radio Times : “I’m intrigued, really, because I’ve never viewed Saturdays and Sundays as any different.” Fellow Match of the Day host Gabby Logan added: “In many weeks, Match of the Day 2 has been a stronger line-up. Match of the Day is Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays [for Champions League highlights]. It’s not Match of the Day 1, Match of the Day 2, it’s just Match of the Day.” The BBC has further demonstrated its desire to improve its online output by uploading weekend Premier League highlights at 8pm or 30 minutes after the final evening match ends. These video packages are available on the BBC Sport app, website and iPlayer before Match of the Day airs on Saturday or Sunday nights. View 3 Images Gary Lineker left Match of the Day at the end of the 2024/25 season (Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images) Presenter shake-up This season has marked a new era for Match of the Day following Gary Lineker’s decision to step down as presenter. The 65-year-old had hosted the BBC’s flagship football show since 1999. The BBC announced last year that three presenters would share the coveted role . Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan have hosted the various editions of the show on a rotational basis throughout the campaign. Upon being confirmed as one of the three Match of the Day hosts, Logan admitted: “There’s an enormous responsibility to make sure we continue to evolve while at the same time respecting the traditions of Match of the Day. People want to see the goals, they want to see the incidents, they want to see the moments everyone’s talking about, so while we can tinker at the edges, the core is the football.” Article continues below Cates said of presenting the much-loved show: “Once I sit in that chair and the theme music starts, I just know that’s going to be a really incredible moment. I’ve worked with a lot of the pundits before and they’re all fantastic, so I’m just looking forward to getting started.” On sharing the role with Cates and Logan, Chapman said: “This isn’t about the three of us, it’s about the three of us plus our pundits, plus our editors, plus our analysts and stats people and production people, radio and online. Genuinely this is about all of us as a department working together.” Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £44 Sky Get the deal here Product Description Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL. Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: www.walesonline.co.uk