Football Focus was a BBC television magazine programme broadcast from 31 August 1974 until 1988, and from 1992 until 24 May 2026, live on BBC One on Saturday lunchtimes during the football season. The programme, alongside Final Score, was a segment of the flagship sports show Grandstand, which for decades dominated the BBC One Saturday afternoon TV schedules. Football Focus became a programme in its own right in 2001.
It was a weekly magazine, with reports from across the country at all levels of English and Scottish football. It previewed the weekend’s fixtures and provided updates from games which had already kicked off. Since the BBC had the rights to Premier League highlights, Football Focus also showed the key moments from midweek matches.
The presenter was normally joined by two football pundits, and Match of the Day commentators often checked in with game previews from the stadiums.[2]
History
For several years until 1974, Grandstand aired a slot called “Football Preview”, previewing the day’s matches which, in 1974, evolved[citation needed] into Football Focus, which continued to be part of Grandstand and was the first item of the programme.
From 1988 to 1992, Football Focus did not air. Football previews were only broadcast by the BBC on FA Cup weekends,[citation needed] as ITV had exclusive Football League rights during this period. Football Focus returned in August 1992 when the BBC won the Premier League highlights rights and the programme again became a weekly slot as the first item of Grandstand. This continued until the start of the 2001–2002 season, when Football Focus became a stand-alone lunchtime show.
In 2009, Dan Walker became the main host. The show moved to the MediaCityUK complex in Salford, Greater Manchester, in 2011.
In August 2021, former Arsenal and England player Alex Scott became the first full-time female presenter of the show.[3][4] She replaced Dan Walker, who had presented the show for the previous twelve years.
Cancellation
On 23 April 2026, it was announced that Football Focus would be axed at the end of the season after 52 years on air, with the final episode airing on 24 May 2026.[5][6]
Presenters
- pre-1974: – Sam Leitch
- 1974–1994: Bob Wilson
- 1994–1996: Steve Rider (hosted as part of his duties as presenter of Grandstand)
- 1996–1999: Gary Lineker
- 1999–2004: Ray Stubbs
- 2004–2009: Manish Bhasin
- 2009–2021: Dan Walker[7]
- 2021–2026: Alex Scott[3]
Guest presenters
- 2005: Mark Pougatch
- 2006: Celina Hinchcliffe
- 2007, 2008: Jake Humphrey (presented during 2007 Ashes and Cricket World Cup. Also was main host during Euro 2008 Football Focus)
- 2014: Mark Chapman (presented a World Cup special edition)[8]
- 2016, 2021: Eilidh Barbour (presented during 2016 Olympics while Dan Walker was in Rio, she also presented in late 2021)
- 2018: Seema Jaswal (one episode)[9]
- 2020: Kelly Somers
Theme song
For the 2002–2003 season, the theme song was “Backaround” by Elevator Suite.[10] The 2003–2004 season featured a cover of the Stevie Nicks track “Stand Back” by Linus Loves featuring Sam Obernik. For the 2007–2008 season, it was “Kill the Director” by The Wombats and for the 2009–2010 season it was “Jetstream” by Doves, from the album Kingdom of Rust. For the 2012–2013 season, it was “Undegpedwar” by Y Niwl from the self-titled album, and continued as the theme for the 2013–2014 season. For the 2023–2024 season, “Seventeen Going Under” by Sam Fender became the new theme song.
Studio
From 2012 until the programme’s conclusion, it was broadcast from BBC Sport‘s headquarters and main studios in MediaCityUK in Salford, although some episodes were broadcast on location, from football grounds. The studio was located at the dock10 studios facility.[11]
Other versions
A version of the programme focusing on world football aired on BBC World News.[12]
See also
References
- ^ “Television studios at dock10”. dock10. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ^ “Football Focus – Episode guide”. BBC Programme Catalogue. BBC. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ^ a b “Alex Scott named Football Focus host”. BBC Sport. BBC. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ “Alex Scott breaks down her legendary career”. BBC Sport. BBC. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ Johnson, Dale (23 April 2026). “Football Focus to end after 52 years”. BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
- ^ “BBC Sport confirms end to Football Focus as football content expands across platforms”. BBC Media Centre (Press release). BBC. 23 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ^ “Gerry Sutcliffe wants Burns report back on FA’s agenda”. The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group. 22 July 2009. ISSN 1756-3224.
- ^ “World Cup Football Focus Special, Football Focus – BBC One”. BBC Programme Catalogue. BBC. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- ^ “07/04/2018, Football Focus – BBC One”. BBC Programme Catalogue. BBC. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- ^ “Music details: Archive”. Grandstand. BBC Sport. BBC. 22 January 2003.
- ^ Dams, Tim (14 August 2019). “Match of the Day moves into dock10’s VR studio”. Broadcast. London: Media Business Insight.
- ^ “Football Focus – BBC World News”. BBC Programme Catalogue. BBC. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
