BBC expands Match of the Day brand

The BBC’s long-running Sunday night football highlights programme, Match of the Day 2, has been rebranded simply as Match of the Day

The BBC’s long-running Sunday night football highlights programme, Match of the Day 2, has been rebranded simply as Match of the Day as part of a major revamp for the 2025/26 Premier League season, Radio Times has confirmed.

The change, effective from this weekend, aligns the Sunday edition with the iconic Saturday night flagship show, signalling what the broadcaster calls “a new era” for its football coverage.

The rebrand comes alongside a new three-presenter rotation across all Match of the Day programming. Mark Chapman, who previously fronted MOTD2 solo, will now share duties with Kelly Cates and football legend Wayne Rooney. The trio will alternate hosting on Saturdays, Sundays, and a newly titled midweek highlights programme, Match of the Day: Champions League.

Cates, best known for her Premier League coverage on Sky Sports, will make her BBC on-screen debut on Wednesday, 13 August, with a late-night preview show at 11:10pm.

Rooney, who recently signed a reported £800,000 deal with the BBC, will feature heavily across all editions, offering regular analysis and insight from his illustrious playing career.

The overhaul follows the departure of long-time host Gary Lineker, who stepped down at the end of last season after repeated clashes with BBC management over his social media activity. Announced in November 2024, Lineker’s exit closed a 25-year chapter in which he became one of British television’s most recognisable sports presenters. He remains contracted to front the corporation’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup.