Gary Lineker has expressed fears that his past criticisms of Donald Trump may prevent him from entering the United States to cover the 2026 World Cup.
The 64-year-old BBC presenter, who is set to leave the corporation after the tournament, is concerned his outspoken comments about the American president could see him denied entry to the country where most matches will be played.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted across North America, with the United States staging the majority of matches.
All games from the quarter-finals onwards will take place on American soil.
Gary Lineker has been critical of Donald Trump in the past
PA/Reuters
Lineker is scheduled to lead the BBC's coverage of the tournament, which will mark his final assignment with the broadcaster before his departure.
The former England striker has been a prominent figure on Match of the Day and major international tournaments for decades.
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Lineker made his feelings about the current American leadership clear.
When asked about his use of X since Elon Musk's takeover, he remarked: "I was open-minded at the start, but now it's like you've got Bond villains in charge of America."
When questioned if he would maintain such bold rhetoric whilst covering the World Cup for the BBC, Lineker simply replied: "Yes... if they let me in."
Lineker has a history of criticising Trump dating back to 2016. In 2017, he launched a scathing attack on the then-president's refugee policy, calling it "not just wrong, it's downright stupid".
He further wrote: "Will only provoke more hatred, resentment and ultimately a greater threat. In just a week America appears to have gone completely insane with lunatics running the asylum."
The presenter also mocked Trump in 2021 with a post reading: "Happy Orange Wednesday."
Lineker's outspoken nature on social media recently led to controversy when he was forced to apologise for sharing a post about Zionism that contained offensive references.
"I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic. It goes against everything I believe in," he stated in his apology.
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Gary Lineker landed himself in hot water recently over posts on social media
ReutersThe controversial post, which has since been deleted from Lineker's Instagram story, sparked immediate outrage among Jewish organisations.
The footage shared by Lineker featured content from the group Palestine Lobby and included a cartoon image of a rat alongside criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza.
The use of rat imagery has particularly disturbing historical connotations in this context, which explains the swift backlash.
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