Gary Lineker, the former BBC presenter and football commentator, has raised concerns about whether the BBC can afford to maintain its coverage of major football tournaments. He said he would feel "slightly concerned" if he were still working at the BBC today, given the challenges of securing and funding rights to high-profile sporting events. Lineker left the BBC in May 2023 after facing criticism for expressing political views on social media, but he still believes terrestrial broadcasting has a role to play in the evolving media landscape. Lineker acknowledged that the BBC, ITV, and other networks are trying to adapt to changes in the industry. However, he expressed doubts about whether they can justify the high costs of securing rights to major sporting events. He pointed to the Broadcasting Act 1996, which requires the regulator Ofcom to designate certain events as "crown jewels." These include the Olympic Games and the men's and women's football World Cups, ensuring they are accessible to all UK audiences for free through terrestrial television. To help manage the costs, the BBC has entered into a partnership with ITV to share the expenses of live coverage for the men's FIFA World Cup in 2026 and 2030. Lineker explained that terrestrial channels can afford these rights in part due to regulations requiring certain matches to be broadcast on free-to-air TV, which limits the number of bidders and keeps costs lower. However, he suggested that this situation might not last, as the media landscape continues to change. Beyond his media career, Lineker co-founded the media production company Goalhanger, which produces the podcast series The Rest Is.... The company was named Britain’s fastest-growing private company in June, with sales reaching £37.9 million in 2025. Lineker described the business as an "unqualified success" and said it has brought him a great deal of personal satisfaction.