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BBC Sport confirms "hugely important" football show will end after more than 50 years – and announces its replacement

Focus will turn elsewhere for BBC Sport coverage.

Three yellow BBC Sport microphones lay on a desk.

Getty Images

Published: Thursday, 23 April 2026 at 5:29 pm

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BBC Sport has announced long-running Saturday morning show Football Focus will end following the current domestic football season.

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Current host Alex Scott will remain heavily involved with BBC Sport productions and has been confirmed to feature in World Cup 2026 coverage.

The show, which was first broadcast in 1974, was a staple of the BBC's sport offering each weekend, with analysis, highlights and stories from around the grounds leading up to the Saturday afternoon kick-offs.

According to The Telegraph, Football Focus's audience dropped from around 849,000 in 2019 to 564,000 in 2023.

A BBC statement read: "Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has decided to say goodbye to Football Focus at the end of this season.

"First broadcast in 1974, Football Focus is a testament to the brilliant team who have worked on it over the years and, of course, the audience. The programme has been a staple of the BBC’s football coverage for decades, providing fans with interviews, analysis and stories from across the game ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.

Alex Scott wearing a brown jacket, holding a yellow microphone and looking to the side.

Alex Scott is the current - and final - host of Football Focus. Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

"But changing audience behaviours mean fans are now increasingly consuming football content in different ways and we need to respond appropriately as we face difficult decisions around how the licence fee is spent."

The BBC also confirmed their football round-up show, Final Score, will start earlier at 3:45pm each Saturday from next season, while The Football Interview will be handed the slot currently occupied by Football Focus.

The Football Interview sees reporter Kelly Somers sit down for extended chats with some of the biggest names in the sport, with Bukayo Saka, Emma Hayes, Bernardo Silva, Hugo Ekitike and Michael Carrick all featuring this season.

The Premier League draws to a close on Sunday 24th May, so you can expect Football Focus to conclude on Saturday 23rd May.

Radio Times has reached out to BBC Sport for confirmation.

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Radio Times sports editor Michael Potts. He has a beard, is looking at the camera and smiling

Michael PottsSport Editor

Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.

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