Match of the Day’s viewing figures have increased considerably this season in a vindication of the BBC’s new digital strategy. Traditional linear viewing of the Saturday and Sunday evening highlights programmes had declined by 770,000 to 6.88 million average weekly views last month compared with December 2024, but MOTD has gained 1.52 million viewers by making highlight clips available on its website and app at 8pm on Saturdays for the first time.

The combined viewing figures for MOTD on iPlayer covering the evening programmes and highlights clips had risen to 61.9 million by the end of December, a big increase on the 45.4 million views by the same period last season. The digital consumption of MOTD has almost doubled since the 2022-23 season, when the total figure by December was 33.1 million.

The BBC announced its 8pm digital highlights at the start of a new four-year deal with the Premier League in August, describing it as a “gamechanging way to stay immersed in the action”, and has been pleased by the public’s response. The corporation’s sports team are increasingly invested in clip rights, particularly in football, and have signed highlights deals with La Liga and the Bundesliga this season.

The 10% drop in viewing figures for MOTD’s Saturday and Sunday evening highlights programmes on BBC One and BBC Two follows the departure of Gary Lineker as presenter of Saturday’s last summer after 26 years. The BBC opted not to sign a direct replacement for him, with Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates sharing presenting duties.

The BBC declined to comment, but sources said the decline in linear viewers was consistent with trends in live TV. It was not possible to obtain MOTD viewing figures in isolation for the Saturday programme, so any effect of Lineker’s departure is hard to assess.