Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has confirmed that the league has no plans to reduce its number of clubs from 20 to 18, despite growing concerns over fixture congestion and mounting tension with FIFA over the increasingly packed international calendar.
The upcoming Premier League season begins on August 15 and will stretch for 11 months, culminating with the World Cup final in the United States on July 19.
That leaves little room for rest, particularly for clubs involved in international tournaments.
Chelsea, for example, wrapped up their Club World Cup campaign with a win over Paris Saint-Germain just three weeks prior to the new season, and only two weeks after their final Summer Series fixture.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has confirmed that the league has no plans to reduce its number of clubs from 20 to 18, despite growing concerns over fixture congestion and mounting tension with FIFA over the increasingly packed international calendar
|PA/GETTY
Last year, Manchester City midfielder Rodri warned that the intense fixture load was pushing players toward considering strike action due to fatigue.
Meanwhile, France’s Ligue 1 opted to reduce its size to 18 teams for the 2023–24 season — a move the Premier League is resisting.
“We shouldn’t be pressured into that kind of decision,” Masters told the BBC.
“I support the growth of the game and the exciting competitions our clubs can be a part of — but not if it comes at the cost of domestic football.”
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Tensions between FIFA and players' union FIFPRO over player burnout have been simmering for some time, and Masters aligns with the union’s criticism that FIFA failed to properly consult key stakeholders before expanding the Club World Cup to 32 teams or planning a 48-nation World Cup for 2026.
Fixture congestion isn’t solely down to FIFA, however.
UEFA's expansion of all three of its club competitions last season led to the scrapping of FA Cup replays and forced the Carabao Cup third round to be spread across two midweek slots in September.
Yet, Masters noted a key difference: “At least with UEFA, the major leagues were given a seat at the table during the decision-making process.
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Chelsea played at the Club World Cup just weeks before the start of the new Premier League season
| GETTY“The format, scheduling, and financial structure of the new Club World Cup are still up for debate.
“But my responsibility lies in evaluating how these changes impact our domestic competitions — especially the Premier League.”
Since it reduced to 20 clubs in the 1994–95 season, the Premier League has remained consistent with a 380-match format.
But according to Masters, the push to accommodate expanded international tournaments is now distorting the domestic schedule.
“We’re essentially being asked to reshape our entire football calendar to fit around global and European ambitions," he said.
"The burden on players is increasing, and we urgently need open, meaningful dialogue between FIFA and all stakeholders. That kind of discussion has been missing so far.”
While Masters admits the Premier League has maintained its 20-club format for nearly three decades, the league itself has not always shielded its clubs from scheduling pressures.
The latest conflict involved Chelsea and Manchester City, both of whom requested a delayed start to the new season following their demanding summer schedules.
Their appeals were denied, resulting in Chelsea playing Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge just five weeks after lifting the Club World Cup in New Jersey.
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| Reuters“These are the ripple effects of decisions made by other football bodies, well beyond our control, that end up disrupting domestic leagues,” Masters explained.
“When a major tournament wraps up in mid-July, players are entitled to at least three weeks off.
"That leaves just a single week before the Premier League kicks off again. The math simply doesn’t work — and it puts us at odds with the very clubs we’re trying to support.
"And it’s not just about the teams in those tournaments — it affects their opponents too. We have to ensure fairness for all.”