The BBC has reported a decline in TV viewing figures for Match of the Day in their first season after Gary Lineker’s unceremonious exit, but believe that the success of their digital highlights clips has more than compensated for the drop. Since the start of this season, under the new Premier League television deal, the BBC has been able to make match highlight packages available from 8pm on Saturdays.

Between August and December 2025, average weekly views for these highlights across iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app stood at an impressive 1.52 million. This has more than made up for the decrease in viewership for the traditional programme, in the Beeb’s eyes.

From August to December 2024, the average weekly viewing figures across all devices – including TV, iPlayer and both Saturday and Sunday shows – was 7.65 million. However, this figure dropped to 6.88 million during the same period last year, representing a decrease of around 770,000.

Despite this, the BBC has seen an increase in the programme’s digital reach. The number of digital accounts accessing Match of the Day content in an average week has risen by 21 per cent in 2025-26 compared to the previous season, from 1.39 million to 1.69 million.

This figure includes views of the Saturday and Sunday programmes on iPlayer, the 8pm highlights on iPlayer, and highlight clips on the BBC Sport website and app.

Furthermore, those accessing Match of the Day digitally are also engaging with more content on BBC platforms. Digital requests have increased by 36 per cent over the August to December period last season and by a staggering 87 per cent compared to the same period in 2022-23.

This season introduces a fresh presenter line-up, with Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan taking over hosting duties following the departure of long-standing host Lineker at the end of last season.

BBC’s director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, said: “We are meeting audiences on their terms and it’s great to see how many people are enjoying that.

“By evolving the format and embracing digital platforms, we’re engaging more people than ever and increasing the reach of this iconic show.

“Match of the Day plays a huge role for millions of football fans, whether that be on TV, iPlayer or on people’s phones.”