In a fairly big bit of British broadcasting news, Football Focus is ending after more than half a century on our screens.
Announced on Thursday, 23 April, the once flagship show and weekly TV guide staple for countless domestic households is set to be cancelled after 52 seasons' worth of coverage.
With BBC Sport confirming the tough decision in a lengthy statement, the long-running show will be taken off the air at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
Most programmes like these have seen declining audiences across the board in the era of streaming and digital packages across various platforms, but this is truly the end of an era.
An incredible 52-year journey comes to an end.
Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision 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… pic.twitter.com/bmHQqQdf6J
An official social media post reads: "An incredible 52-year journey comes to an end. Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision 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.
"But changing audience behaviours means 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."
Second only really to Match of the Day (MotD), which first began a whole decade prior to its once equally popular spin-off, Gary Lineker, Manish Bhasin, Alex Scott and others have all enjoyed varying periods hosting the regular weekend watch.
While even MotD has seen steadily dipping viewing figures, not just following the Lineker departure/saga, but ever since YouTube highlights and the social media era.
They go on to add: "Fans are accessing discussion, highlights, analysis and news through digital platforms and on-demand viewing, and as viewing habits continue to evolve, it is right that BBC Sport adapts how it brings football coverage to the widest audiences across television, radio, online and to its extensive social platforms. BBC Sport boasts a strong football rights portfolio and is set to significantly expand its digital output this year, growing content across BBC platforms, as well as a bold new slate of exclusive shows on YouTube.
"Featuring fresh formats, big personalities and more frequent, always-on content tailored for digital audiences, the expansion will bring fans closer to the game than ever before, delivering more high-quality, accessible and engaging football coverage at scale. We will release further details on these plans in the coming months."
Will you miss it? Perhaps more to the point, do you still watch Match of the Day, Soccer Saturday and the like on terrestrial telly here in the UK?
Yorkshire interior design specialist Design Tonic has completed a major series of projects for Leeds United Football Club.
A new era for Leeds United is on the horizon, and we're catching a first glimpse of it already.
Design Tonic is a long-standing design and build partner of the football club that has delivered approximately 30,000 sq ft of new and refurbished space, completed to coincide with the start of the new premier league season.
The latest work has been designed to support the club’s continued development of plans for Elland Road, including the new West Stand.
Image: Supplied (Pink Gorilla)
The main element of the programme has been the full design and build of a new 20,000 sq ft temporary hospitality marquee at Elland Road, providing high-quality hospitality facilities while the West Stand is redeveloped.
The facility incorporates four individual hospitality suites with capacity for approximately 1,000 guests with interiors carefully considered to deliver a high-end experience.
Images: Supplied (Pink Gorilla)
Alongside the temporary hospitality facility, Design Tonic has delivered a series of significant upgrades throughout Elland Road including the creation of a new Presidents Lounge transforming a previous back-of-house area into a premium hospitality environment, a new Chairman’s Guest Lounge, and refurbishment of the club’s reception and boardroom.
Head of IT and facilities at Leeds United Football Club, Mark Broadley, said: “Design Tonic has become a trusted partner to Leeds United. They understand both the operational requirements of a football club and the importance of ensuring every environment feels unmistakably Leeds United.
Images: Supplied (Pink Gorilla)
“This has been a particularly important project for us, supporting the next stage of development at Elland Road while ensuring our hospitality guests continue to receive a high- quality experience. At the same time, the improvements at Thorp Arch enhance the everyday environments available to our players and Academy.
“The completed spaces look fantastic and provide an excellent platform as the club starts the new Premier League season.”
Leeds United among Premier League clubs with the cheapest pints, new data reveals
Clementine Hall
Leeds United fans looking for a crisp pre-match pint, you're in luck.
Why? Because new data has revealed Leeds United as one of the Premier League clubs offering the cheapest pints.
It's al down to credit card provider Zable who analysed the average price of a pint at pubs near every Premier League stadium, revealing which fanbases pay the most, and least, for their pre-match drink.
You'll be glad to know that Leeds United ranked a very respectable fifth among the Premier League teams with the cheapest pre-match pints, with fans paying an average of £4.74 at pubs near the Elland Road Stadium.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
However, if fans are looking to grab a drink inside the stadium, they face a higher price tag, with a pint costing £5.60, a difference of over 18%.
Newly promoted Coventry supporters are getting the best deal in the league with the average pint nearby to the stadium costing £4.16, whilst Sunderland came in second please (£4.41), followed by Hull City (£4.70).
The top 10 most expensive pre-game pint prices at nearby stadium pubs:
Coventry (£4.16)
Sunderland (£4.41)
Hull City (£4.70)
Bournemouth (£4.72)
Leeds United (£4.74)
Liverpool (£4.95)
Newcastle United (£5.07)
Manchester United (£5.18)
Ipswich Town (£5.27)
Nottingham Forest (£5.34)
Adam McAllister at Zable says: "For many fans, grabbing a pint before kick-off is part and parcel of the matchday experience, but our research shows that where you choose to drink can make a noticeable difference to the price. While stadium pints are often assumed to be more expensive, that's not always the case.
"With the cost of attending football continuing to add up, from tickets and travel to food and drinks, small differences like these can make a real impact on the overall cost of a matchday. Taking a little time to compare prices before heading to the stadium this season could help fans make their money go further, whether they choose to have a pint at the pub or inside the ground."
Danny Jones -
24th April 2026 
