Gareth Bale enters punditry and Cardiff bid

Gareth Bale signs with TNT Sports as a pundit while pursuing a bid to take over Cardiff City.

Gareth Bale moves into punditry and pursues Cardiff City bid

Gareth Bale has signed with TNT Sports to be part of its Premier League and Champions League coverage for the 2025/26 season. The former Tottenham, Real Madrid and LAFC star will join Peter Crouch and Joe Cole on TNT's Saturday lunchtime broadcasts as the broadcaster expands its punditry lineup. Bale, who retired from football in 2023 after Wales’s World Cup campaign, brings a trophy-laden résumé and a global profile that includes 111 caps and 41 goals for Wales and a haul of club honours from Madrid and Spurs.

Beyond the microphone, Bale is linked with Cardiff City, the club he supports. He was part of a consortium that submitted a letter of intent to Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan, with reports of a 40 million pound bid denied by the club. Bale told Front Office Sports Today and ESPN that a brand new offer had been made and that it was more than fair, and his group is waiting for feedback as they seek to take the club into a new era.

Bale's transition shows how former players stay close to the sport by crossing into media while also keeping doors open to club ownership. That mix can boost visibility and influence, but it also invites questions about bias and timing in coverage and decision making. The move reflects a broader trend where high-profile athletes leverage fame to pursue roles off the pitch while exploring ownership stakes in clubs they care about.

In the broader football landscape, celebrity-backed bids can draw attention and funding but also attract scrutiny over governance, long-term strategy, and public perception. Bale’s case highlights how fans, investors, and regulators watch closely when a legend tries to blend media presence with a potential ownership role.

Highlights

Time will reveal how far this bold move can go.