New Delhi: Premier League Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Masters has confirmed the league will not be trimming down on clubs, after reports suggested an 18-team format may be on the cards from the usual 20, despite the overly hectic schedule which has caused many players to speak out over the increasing number of fixtures in the football calendar. Clubs had three weeks to undergo pre-season training after the end of the FIFA Club World Cup before the 2025-26 season kicks off on August 15. Masters is all for the growth of the game, but not at the expense of domestic football.’
"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,” said Masters to the BBC.
The newly introduced FIFA Club World Cup has taken away the off-season for a majority of the top clubs and has caused extra pressure on players to perform despite getting very little rest. The new season will once again begin an 11-month cycle, which ends with the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States of America. IANS
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