BBC Sport is gearing up for the new men's football season with a significant expansion of its coverage, bringing in fresh faces for Match of the Day and launching a series of new digital formats on YouTube.
Former Tottenham manager Thomas Frank will join the Match of the Day panel as a pundit, alongside ex-players Toby Alderweireld, Robbie Keane and Ashley Young. The additions are part of a broader push by the broadcaster to widen its analysis and appeal across different platforms as the Premier League campaign approaches.
Alongside the new pundits, BBC Sport will roll out four original YouTube shows housed on its Football channel: FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal and Football Hub. These programmes are designed to offer varied perspectives on the game, from tactical breakdowns to fan-focused storytelling.
Supporter engagement is set to be a central theme of the revamped output. The newly introduced BBC Sport Fan Collective will bring together representatives from all 20 Premier League clubs, giving fans a more prominent voice in the broadcaster's coverage.
Alex Kay-Jelski, BBC's director of sport, explained the thinking behind the changes. "Football means something different to every fan, and this season BBC Sport is putting those fans even more firmly at the heart of the game," he said. "We're bringing together the unrivalled expertise of former players and managers with the passion, personality and perspectives of supporters to create a richer football experience wherever and however audiences follow the game."
On the radio side, BBC Radio 5 Live will carry live commentary of 209 Premier League fixtures throughout the season, in addition to coverage of the Champions League, the Scottish Premiership, the FA Cup, the men's League Cup and international matches.
Match of the Day will continue to anchor the BBC's Premier League highlights output, while the broadcaster will also show two FA Cup matches per round and a weekly Bundesliga fixture on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. Highlights from La Liga, Serie A, the Europa League, and international football involving Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also be made available.
Kelly Somers' The Football Interview programme remains part of the schedule, continuing across BBC iPlayer, the BBC Football YouTube channel, the BBC Sport website and app, as well as a Saturday slot on BBC One at 12:45 BST.
Regional coverage has also been strengthened. Viewers in Scotland will be able to watch every Scotland men's international match live, plus selected Scottish Cup fixtures including the final, with Premiership highlights featured on Sportscene. Live commentary of Scottish Premiership games, domestic cup ties and Scotland internationals will be available via BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.
In Wales, selected Nathaniel MG Cymru Premier matches will stream on BBC iPlayer, while Wales men's international fixtures will be broadcast live across BBC Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Two, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Sounds.
Meanwhile, BBC Sport Northern Ireland has agreed a new three-year broadcast deal with the Irish FA and the Northern Ireland Football League, guaranteeing extensive free-to-air coverage of both international and domestic football. Under the agreement, BBC Sport NI will broadcast every Northern Ireland senior men's international fixture through to June 2028.
Together, the changes represent one of the broadcaster's most ambitious efforts yet to diversify how football content is delivered, combining traditional broadcast strengths with a growing digital and fan-centred presence.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.