The Premier League will not be reduced to 18 teams in the middle of the calendar congestion pressure, explains the CEO
The Director General of the Premier League, Richard Masters, insisted that the Premier League will not reduce a size of 20 to 18 clubs in the middle of increasing pressure on an increasingly congratulating football calendar.
The new high-level season starts on August 15, just five weeks after Chelsea raised the first World Cup of extensive clubs with the victory against the European Champions Paris Saint-Germain.
He will start a campaign of 11 months of competitive football, leading to the new finals of the World Cup of 48 male teams in the United States, Mexico and Canada in June and July 2026.
Critics of what they consider an over -frequented football calendar have increased regularly in recent years.
Last year, Manchester City midfielder and the Golden Ball winner Rodri warned that the players were “close” to the strike due to the increase in the number of game clubs should play every season.
The UEFA expansion of its three continental club competitions – the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League – was a key factor in the decision to remove the reruns of the Last FA CUP.
And while France Ligue 1 has chosen to reduce 20 to 18 teams for the 2023-24 season, Masters said that such a decision would not be reproduced in the chain.
“I don't think we should be forced to make this decision,” Masters told BBC Sport.
“I am absolutely for the growth of the game and the exciting competitions in which our clubs can participate – but not at the expense of national football.”
Masters comments are involved in the middle of an in progress dispute between FIFA and the Union of FIFPro players on the potential impact of the calendar on the well-being of players.
Masters shares the union conviction that FIFA has not undertaken appropriate consultation processes before implementing the expansion of the World Cup of clubs and the World Cup.
“The jury started from the competitiveness of the format and planning and the underlying economy, but it is not my work to assess the success or not of the club World Cup,” said Masters.
“It is my job to assess whether these new competitions have an impact on the national calendar and national competitions, the Premier League of which is one.
“Since 1994, the Premier League has experienced 380 games, 20 clubs. We haven't changed shape at all.
“Now we are now starting to rethink our national calendar to the altar of European and global expansion.
“We ask players to play in more games. There must be, at the top of the game, an appropriate dialogue between FIFA and all stakeholders on the way these things go ahead.
“Unfortunately it missed.”
Chelsea and Manchester City, who both participated in the club World Cup, had requests for delays from the department for their respective national campaigns rejected by the Premier League – a decision that Masters declared was made in the interest of equity.
“This is the butterfly impact of decisions made beyond our influence by other football organizations that have a direct impact on domestic leagues,” said Masters.
“When you finished a tournament in mid-July and you have to provide players with a three-week break, only week left before the start of the season.
“This does not add up. This puts us in unnecessary conflict with our own clubs. It is not only those involved in the Club World Cup. These are the clubs they play and we must be fair for everyone.”
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2025-08-01 13:42:00
