Gary Lineker has made a bold new pledge on The Rest Is Football: if the United States win the 2026 World Cup, he will host the final episode of the series wearing nothing but American flag pants.

The 65-year-old confirmed his promise on the podcast, doubling down on a stunt he previously pulled when he presented Match of the Day in just his underwear to celebrate Leicester City's famous Premier League title win.

When guest Niall Horan pressed him for details — asking whether the pants in question would be "naked cowboy" style — Lineker confirmed they would be adorned with the Stars and Stripes.

A distant dream for the USMNT

The United States opened their tournament with a commanding display against Paraguay, impressing fans around the world. Yet Lineker remains unconvinced that a USA title run is realistic, even as Donald Trump and the American public rally behind the USMNT's home-soil ambitions.

The pledge, then, appears safe — at least in Lineker's estimation.

Germany as a dark horse

Lineker also shared his surprise pick for an unlikely tournament winner. Despite Germany's recent struggles — they failed to advance beyond the group stage at each of the last two World Cups — Lineker sees potential for a resurgence.

"I quite like saying that Germany are a dark horse," he admitted. "Nobody's talking about them. Are they now the kind of country that you go, actually, if they get to the quarters, they're actually doing really well?"

Lineker believes the Germans could spring a genuine shock and go deep into the tournament — though perhaps not all the way, if his pants are to remain safely off camera.

A tournament of upsets

The 2026 World Cup, featuring an expanded 48-team field, has already delivered several dramatic moments. Co-hosts Mexico dismantled South Africa 2-0, while Egypt and Cape Verde both held Belgium and Spain to draws respectively. Japan came back from a goal down twice to earn a 2-2 result against Netherlands, adding to the sense that this edition is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.