The CEO will not be able to cut the Premier League to 18 teams amid the pressure of calendar crowding.
Premier League CEO Richard Masters has insisted that the size will not drop to 20-18 clubs as the Premier League puts pressure on the increasingly gathered soccer calendar.
A new top flight season began on August 15, just five weeks after Chelsea lifted its first expanded Club World Cup with European champion Paris Saint-Germain.
It launches a competitive 11-month campaign of football, culminating in the new 48-team men’s World Cup finals in the US, Mexico and Canada throughout June and July 2026.
Critics of what they see as an overly busy football schedule have grown steadily in recent years.
Manchester City midfielder and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri warned last year that players are “close” to strike as the number of clubs is increasing.
UEFA’s three continental club competition expansion – The Champions League, Europa League and Conference League were key factors in the decision to scrap FA Cup replays last year.
And while French League One chose to cut it to 20-18 teams for the 2023-24 season, the Masters said such moves would not be replicated throughout the channel.
“I don’t think we should be forced into that decision,” Masters told BBC Sports.
“I’m not sacrificing domestic football, because of the growth of the game and the exciting competition that the club can join.”
Masters’ comments come in the midst of an ongoing conflict between FIFA and players’ union FIFPRO over the potential impact of schedules on player welfare.
The Masters shares the union’s belief that FIFA did not implement a proper consultation process before implementing the Club World Cup and World Cup expansion.
“The judges are coming out about the competitiveness of the format, scheduling and underlying economics, but it’s not my job to assess the success of the Club World Cup or anything else,” Masters said.
“It is my job to assess whether these new sports will affect the national calendar and the national sports. There is one Premier League.
“Since 1994, the Premier League has had 380 games and 20 clubs. The shape remains the same.
“Now we are now beginning to redesign our domestic calendar at the altar of expansion in Europe and the world.
“We’re asking players to play in more games. At the top of the game, there’s a proper dialogue between FIFA and all stakeholders and how these things go.
“It’s sadly missing.”
Chelsea and Manchester City, who participated in the Club World Cup, had requests to delay the delay in the domestic campaign, which was rejected by the Premier League.
“It’s the butterfly impact of decisions beyond our influence by other football organizations that have a direct impact on leagues in the country,” Masters said.
“If the tournament ends in mid-July and you need to provide players with a three-week break, there will only be one week before the start of the season.
“It doesn’t add up. It’s an unnecessary conflict with our own club. It’s not just people involved in the Club World Cup. It’s the club they play and we have to be fair to everyone.”