In a groundbreaking move, Gabby Logan is reportedly set to replace Gary Lineker and present the World Cup final on the BBC. This will make her the first female host of football's biggest game on the Beeb.
Logan, along with Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman, has been sharing main presenting duties throughout the tournament. They have also been regular faces on Match of the Day. However, with Lineker stepping aside last year after covering all World Cups from 2002 to 2022, it left a significant vacancy for hosting duties for this year's final.
According to reports from Daily Mail, Logan is now in pole position to secure this coveted role. One contributing factor is that Chapman is expected to return to the UK for coverage of The Open golf tournament.
Historic moment
The final round of The Open coincides with the date of the World Cup final - Sunday 19 July - making it impossible for Chapman to cover both events. This opens up an opportunity for Logan who will already be making history by becoming the first woman presenter at an England men’s World Cup game for BBC when she covers England's clash with Ghana in Boston on June 23.
Despite these historic moments happening overseas, most coverage from BBC will remain based in their studios in Salford throughout this five-week-long tournament featuring 104 matches. As we approach closing stages though, they are expected to send a crew out North America.
Meanwhile ITV holds rights over England’s opener against Croatia and their Group L finale against Panama. Their team will be stationed in New York City throughout duration of World Cup offering stunning views across Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge from their rooftop studio.
Both broadcasters have now revealed their full punditry line-ups which include some big names:
- BBC: Thomas Frank, Olivier Giroud, Cesar Azpilicueta, Theo Walcott and Gael Clichy join regulars Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart.
- ITV: Juan Mata, Ange Postecoglou, Patrick Vieira, Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Roy Keane.
This year's World Cup is set to be a historic one with Gabby Logan breaking barriers as the first female host for the final. As sports fans eagerly await the tournament's kick-off in June 2023 - it's clear that off-field changes are just as exciting as those on-field.
