Premier League rejects major reforms as tensions rise with FIFA and elite soccer players over scheduling
In recent months, several of the world’s top players have gone public with their discontent about the ever-increasing number of matches. FIFA has taken most of the heat, though continental confederations and domestic leagues have also come under scrutiny. Within this context, the Premier League has made it clear it’s not backing down.
The upcoming change to the FIFA World Cup format in 2026 will expand the tournament to 48 national teams instead of 32, while the path to the final will now require eight matches instead of seven. On the club side, the first expanded Club World Cup—featuring 32 teams and lasting a full month—was held this year at the end of the season.
This added load is also evident in European soccer. Last season, UEFA debuted its new Champions League format, building on the 2021 introduction of the Conference League. All these changes have amplified players’ complaints about the physical toll of an increasingly crowded calendar.
One proposed solution is to reduce the number of teams in Europe’s top domestic leagues. Germany has long operated with 18 clubs in the Bundesliga, and France adopted the same model in Ligue 1 starting in 2023.
Asked whether England might follow suit, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters was unequivocal. “I don’t think we should be forced into that decision,” he said in a recent interview with BBC Sport. “I am all for the growth of the game and the exciting competitions our clubs can participate in—but not at the expense of domestic football.”
Changes in English soccer driven by calendar pressure
While dropping to 18 teams may be a non-starter for the Premier League, England has still had to make concessions in response to the growing demands of the modern schedule. The revamped European competitions—and their added matchdays—have already led to changes like the removal of FA Cup replays.
“Since 1994 the Premier League has been 380 matches, 20 clubs. We haven’t changed shape at all,” Masters noted, before admitting, “It is my job to assess whether these new competitions have an impact on the domestic calendar and domestic competitions, of which the Premier League is one… Now we are starting to redesign our domestic calendar at the altar of European and global expansion.”
Rising pressure on players becomes a growing concern
With tighter schedules, players are being pushed to play more matches in the same timeframe. In 2024, Manchester City star Rodri was asked whether this trend could eventually lead players to strike. “I think we are close to that… If it keeps this way, it will be a moment that we have no other option, but let’s see,” said the Spanish midfielder.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters also addressed the issue. “We are asking the players to play in more matches. There has to be, at the top of the game, a proper dialogue between FIFA and all the stakeholders about how these things go forward,” he said. But he also acknowledged, “That has been sadly missing.”