Premier League to Stay at 20 Clubs

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has confirmed there are no plans to reduce the division from 20 to 18 clubs, despite mounting pressure over an increasingly congested international football calendar.

The 2025/26 season kicks off on 15 August and will stretch nearly a full year, concluding with the 2026 World Cup final in the US on 19 July. The start comes just three weeks after Chelsea’s Club World Cup win over Paris Saint-Germain and two weeks after the final Summer Series matches.

Despite concerns from players — including Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who has warned that players are close to striking over the workload — Masters insists the Premier League must not compromise its structure for global scheduling demands.

“I don’t think we should be forced into that decision,” Masters told the BBC. “I’m all for the growth of the game and the exciting competitions our clubs can participate in – but not at the expense of domestic football.”

FIFA has come under fire from both national leagues and the global players' union FIFPro, who argue that recent expansions to international tournaments have not been properly consulted. That includes the 32-team Club World Cup and next summer’s expanded 48-team World Cup.

The calendar squeeze isn’t solely down to FIFA. UEFA’s expansion of its three club competitions has already led to FA Cup replays being scrapped and the Carabao Cup third round being spread across two midweeks.

Still, Masters believes the lack of consultation from FIFA is a central issue: “There has to be, at the top of the game, a proper dialogue between FIFA and all the stakeholders… That has been sadly missing.”

Masters pointed out that the Premier League has remained a 20-club, 380-match competition since 1994, and suggested that recent global developments risk undermining the balance of the domestic game.

The issue has already created tension within the league. Both Chelsea and Manchester City requested a delayed start to the season after their busy summers — a request that was denied, meaning Chelsea host Crystal Palace just five weeks after their Club World Cup triumph.

“It doesn’t add up,” said Masters. “When you finish a tournament in mid-July and must provide a three-week break, you’re left with a single week before the season starts. It puts us in unnecessary conflict with our own clubs.”