Football Focus axed after 52 years as BBC overhauls Match of the Day with new pundits and Shearer pay cut

The BBC has axed Football Focus after 52 years on air and announced a wide-ranging overhaul of its football coverage ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League season, with new studio faces, a reshuffled pundit roster, and a pay cut for one of its biggest names.

Football Focus, a Saturday lunchtime fixture for generations of fans since 1974, has been cancelled to make way for The Football Interview, a new programme fronted by Kelly Somers. The decision marks the most significant structural change to the BBC’s football output in decades.

Alan Shearer will remain on the Match of the Day sofa alongside Wayne Rooney, but official BBC pay figures show the Newcastle legend’s annual salary has fallen from the £440,000–£444,999 bracket to between £390,000 and £394,999 — a reduction of roughly £50,000. It is not clear whether Shearer accepted the cut voluntarily or had it imposed, though he remains among the corporation’s highest-paid sports personalities.

Four new faces have been brought in for guest punditry duties on a revolving basis: former England and Manchester United defender Ashley Young, Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane, Belgium international Toby Alderweireld, and recently departed Tottenham and Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

Six pundits — Martin Keown, Dion Dublin, Shay Given, Stephen Warnock, Nedum Onuoha and Theo Walcott — were absent from the BBC’s published list, prompting speculation about their futures. However, all six are still expected to feature in Match of the Day coverage this season as part of the broadcaster’s wider squad rotation.

Beyond the flagship show, the BBC is expanding into digital content with four new programmes launching on its Football YouTube channel: FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal, and Football Hub. The digital push will also include a fan collective featuring a supporter from every Premier League club, in line with BBC Head of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski’s stated aim to place supporters “firmly at the heart of the game.”