Architect of Premier League calls for it to be cut to 18 teams

The Premier League should be trimmed to just 18 teams in order to tackle the player workload row dividing the game, says former chief David Dein.

Europe’s 20-team domestic leagues are coming under increasing pressure to slim down as clubs juggle additional European games and the imminent expanded Club World Cup.

France’s Ligue 1 joined Germany’s Bundesliga on 18 teams last season and Dein, one of the architects of the Premier League, believes England should follow suit.

“When we formed the Premier League, it was mandated to be an 18-club league. Immediately, with the stroke of a pen, you save four games with an 18-club league,” he told TalkSport.

“Now there is an argument because the clubs won’t vote for it – I understand that – but there was an opportunity then when we formed the league. It went from 22 to 20, it should have gone down to 18. 

“With 18 clubs splitting the television money instead of 20, each club would earn another £15m. They need to think about that.”

Champions League clubs who reach the last 16 face up to four extra games under the new format, while the Europa League and Conference League fixture lists have also swelled. 

The Club World Cup, meanwhile, will be relaunched as a month-long, 32-team competition to be played every four years from next summer.

The changes have led to domestic leagues and player unions taking legal action against Fifa, while leading footballers have also warned that they may strike.

Dein added: “The calendar is a big issue. If there is empirical evidence that the players are being overplayed, then something has to be done. My starting point is: let’s look at ourselves.”

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said last week that he would support changes to some competitions if it meant reducing the workload on players. 

“I agree there’s too many games. But the problem in England is we have an extra cup competition compared to the rest of Europe,” he said.

“In Europe, the most important fixtures for the big teams is European competitions, whereas here we have the Premier League which is the hardest league in the world, yet we still want to do well in Europe. So it’s a particular problem for the English teams and I do think it’s a problem.

“As a club, we would like to see less games but higher-quality games. So if that means we have to see some changes in some of our competitions, then so be it. I think in the end that’s in the long-term interest of the players.”