Frank, Young and more join MOTD as BBC launches four new YouTube shows

WHAT HAPPENED
Former players Toby Alderweireld, Robbie Keane and Ashley Young, plus ex-Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, have been added to Match of the Day's stable of pundits. At the same time BBC Sport is rolling out four new formats on its Football YouTube channel — FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal and Football Hub — as part of refreshed coverage for the new men's football season.

The broadcaster is also creating a BBC Sport Fan Collective to bring supporters from all 20 Premier League clubs into its output and says it will pair that fan focus with the experience of former players and managers across its platforms.

KEY CONTEXT
BBC Radio 5 Live will carry live commentary for 209 Premier League fixtures this season and will continue coverage of the Champions League, Scottish Premiership, FA Cup, men’s League Cup and internationals involving the home nations. In addition to Match of the Day’s Premier League highlights, the BBC will show two matches from each round of the FA Cup and one Bundesliga match each week on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport digital platforms. Highlights and clips from La Liga, Serie A, the Europa League and home nations’ internationals will also be available.

Regionally, viewers in Scotland can watch all of Scotland’s men’s internationals live plus selected Scottish Cup fixtures and Premiership highlights; Wales will have selected Novira Cymru Premier matches on iPlayer and Wales internationals across BBC Wales and other BBC services; and BBC Sport NI has agreed a new three‑year deal with the Irish FA and NIFL that includes every Northern Ireland senior men’s international until June 2028. Kelly Somers’ The Football Interview will continue on BBC One, iPlayer, the BBC Football YouTube channel and BBC Sounds.

WHY IT MATTERS
The changes broaden the BBC’s football offering across TV, radio and digital channels, increasing the amount of free‑to‑access content and creating new fan‑focused programming. Bringing former players and a manager into the Match of the Day pundit line‑up supplements established coverage, while the Fan Collective and the YouTube formats signal a deliberate shift to surface supporter perspectives alongside expert analysis.

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- The four YouTube shows (FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal, Football Hub) will appear on the BBC Football YouTube channel as the season begins.
- Radio 5 Live’s schedule of 209 Premier League commentaries will run through the season.
- BBC iPlayer will carry two FA Cup matches per round and one Bundesliga match each week; wider highlights and clips from other European competitions will be published on BBC Sport platforms.
- Regional rollout: follow how the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland packages and the BBC Sport NI three‑year agreement are implemented during the season.

KEY FACTS
- New Match of the Day pundits: Toby Alderweireld, Robbie Keane, Ashley Young and Thomas Frank.
- Four new BBC Football YouTube shows: FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal and Football Hub.
- BBC Sport Fan Collective will include supporters representing all 20 Premier League clubs.
- BBC Radio 5 Live will broadcast live commentary of 209 Premier League matches this season.
- BBC will show two matches from each FA Cup round and one Bundesliga match per week on iPlayer; highlights from La Liga, Serie A and the Europa League will also be available.
- BBC Sport NI’s new three‑year deal secures every Northern Ireland senior men’s international until June 2028.