Premier League against cut in clubs

The Premier League could be on a collision course with FIFA after Sepp Blatter called for all top-flight domestic seasons to be reduced to 45 games.

The FIFA president intends to put the proposal to a vote at the centenary congress of world football’s governing body in Paris next May.

If he is successful in persuading a majority of members to back him, failure to comply could see national associations expelled from the organisation and disqualified from the World Cup as a result.

Blatter would prefer to see the reduction come from shrinking top divisions to a maximum of 16 teams but conceded that the 45-game figure could be reached by cutting cup games.

He told the Guardian: “We are going to propose having a 30-match championship with 15 other dates for other national competitions such as cups.

“But it is up to the national associations to see how they can work out these 45 days for competition.”

But, with the 20-team Premiership guaranteeing 38 league games, England’s top flight clubs would have to withdraw from either the FA Cup, with a maximum of six games, or the League Cup, with a maximum of seven.

The other alternative is to reduce the size of the Premiership to 16 teams, something the clubs are not prepared to consider.

A Premier League spokesman said: “The number of teams playing in the Premier League is a matter for the FA and ourselves and we have no plans and nor is there any appetite from our member clubs to reduce the number of teams in our competition.”

Blatter, meanwhile, ruled out any talks with G-14, the self-appointed group of Europe’s most powerful clubs, over compensation for releasing players for international tournaments.

“I don’t speak with the G-14 as a group any more,” he said.