Gabby Logan is poised to become the first woman to front the BBC’s coverage of a men’s World Cup final.
The experienced presenter is expected to lead the broadcaster’s coverage of next summer’s showpiece in New Jersey, marking another landmark moment in her rise to becoming one of the Beeb’s most prominent sports broadcasters.
Logan, 53, will share hosting responsibilities throughout the tournament with Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Alex Scott.
However, according to the Daily Mail, Logan is firmly in pole position to anchor the final itself.
She has already been selected to present the BBC’s opening match coverage and England’s group-stage clash against Ghana on June 23, a further indication of her senior status within the broadcaster’s plans.
Chapman is instead expected to lead the BBC’s coverage of The Open Championship, which concludes on the same day as the World Cup final.
Gabby Logan is poised to become the first woman to front the BBC’s coverage of a men’s World Cup final
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GETTY
It’s claimed there is no tension behind the scenes regarding the allocation of duties, with senior figures comfortable rotating major broadcasting assignments across future tournaments and events.
For Logan, the appointment would represent the latest milestone in a broadcasting career that has steadily gathered momentum over the past two decades.
Every team to have won the World Cup
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GETTY/GB NEWS
A former international gymnast and swimmer before moving into television, she initially rose to prominence at Sky Sports before joining the BBC in 2007.
Since then, Logan has become one of the corporation’s most trusted and recognisable faces.
She has fronted coverage across multiple Olympic Games, World Cups, Six Nations tournaments and major athletics championships, while also regularly anchoring flagship programmes including Match of the Day and Sports Personality of the Year.
In recent years, the BBC has increasingly positioned Logan at the centre of its biggest sporting broadcasts as part of a wider shift towards a new generation of presenters.
Mark Chapman is set to work on the BBC’s Open coverage
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Logan has also become an influential voice away from live sport through her popular podcast and outspoken campaigning on issues including women’s health and equality in broadcasting.
Two Home Nations will be in the mix for World Cup glory when the competition commences on June 11.
England will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama in their group stage matches.
Scotland, meanwhile, will lock horns with Haiti, Morocco and Brazil.