Mark Chapman will be one of three new hosts of Match of the Day from next season and could even fill the vacant position of covering the 2026 World Cup after Gary Lineker's exit
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Mark Chapman
Mark Chapman is a fan of Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
Mark Chapman has already explained how he remains impartial on Match of the Day despite being a Manchester United fan.
From next season, Chapman will share presenting duties for Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2 with Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan.
It follows last year's announcement that Gary Lineker would be stepping down from his iconic role after 26 years at the end of the current season. The BBC had initially planned for Lineker, 64, to continue hosting their coverage of the FA Cup next season and the 2026 World Cup.
However, those plans were scrapped when the former England striker mutually agreed to leave his role and the BBC at the end of this season. The decision came in the wake of significant backlash against Lineker after he shared a social media post about Zionism that featured an illustration of a rat.
Chapman, Logan and Cates were originally meant to play supporting roles alongside Lineker at his last World Cup next summer, set to take place in the US, Canada and Mexico. However, his early departure means the BBC now needs to find a lead replacement for the tournament, with the aforementioned trio considered the main candidates.
It's been suggested that a rotation for the role of lead presenter is possible, though only one of the trio can present the coveted World Cup and FA Cup finals. Chapman, 51, can slot into the role seamlessly if selected, having hosted Match of the Day 2 on BBC Two since August 2013.
Chapman's professionalism cannot be doubted either, with the majority of viewers still in the dark over his footballing allegiance after all this time. Yet, Chapman, originally from Sale, Greater Manchester, has made no secret of his support for Manchester United in the past.
His ability to keep his favouritism under wraps speaks volumes about his impartiality, though he recently joked that he hides his true feelings by venting all frustrations about the Red Devils’ dire form and poor results before going on air.
He said during his appearance on an episode of Catchphrase earlier this month: “By the time we go on air, I’ve had enough time to stop being a sore loser. So by then I’m fairly impartial.”
Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan
Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will replace Gary Lineker in the famous Match of the Day chair
Chapman's broadcasting journey began at the BBC as a continuity announcer, followed by stints as a local cricket reporter and nearly a decade of doing "jokey stuff" on Radio 1. He's since risen to become a familiar face and voice in British sports broadcasting through roles at 5 Live and as the face of MOTD2 each week.
Chapman was born in Rochdale but moved to Sale at a young age. United were and are still his local team.
In a 2018 interview with the iPaper, Chapman said: "It's not my fault that I support a big team!" He backed up his position as a true fan by adding: “I had to put up with a lot of poor, if at least entertaining, stuff in the 1980s. I am a genuine Manchester United fan.”
BBC chiefs, led by the new director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, are reportedly keen to steer their flagship football show in a new direction, which sparked their decision to appoint Logan, Chapman and Cates.
When asked what to expect from MOTD in the 2025/26 season, Chapman, whose appointment was announced in January, insisted: “Nothing different. I know people keep saying, ‘Oh this will change or that will change.’ I genuinely don't think anything will change.
“It will still be showing all the highlights and having a bit of a chat. So, if you're wanting a lot of change, I suppose you're going to be a bit disappointed by it.
“I think we are still just going to do the same thing and talk about football and have a laugh and that will be that.”