World football officials fear that FIFA can impose championships with 18 teams around the world, including Serie A and Premier League. This is what he reports The Sunwhich highlights how tensions between leagues, player representatives and world football’s governing body are growing ahead of the 2025 Club World Cup.
The main concern for the Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and other national leagues, including Italy’s, is that FIFA will try to limit the number of matches by reducing the top divisions to 18 teams and 34 matches. Javier Tebaspresident of La Liga, expressed these concerns, stating that this move could endanger the football industry, leading to the unemployment of many players and the loss of thousands of related jobs.
These fears are shared by Premier League officials, who are concerned that FIFA may want to impose a reduction in the size of the top divisions. A “player welfare working group” was recently set up which, according to the Association of World Leagues, has already decided on its recommendations. A source revealed that FIFA’s ultimate goal is suspected to be to reduce the number of teams to 18, arguing that too much domestic football harms the players.
Currently, FIFA has not officially called on leagues to reduce squads, and has said that national competitions and associations retain their autonomy.