Talks begin over reducing Serie A teams to 18

Reports emanating from Italy suggests that the Serie A is considering reducing number of teams per league-season from 20, to 18.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that informal discussions have commenced regarding the reduction.

However, it also reported that the proposal has met with differing opinions among clubs, with top clubs being the obvious favourites of the idea.

The talks which began on Monday, involved clubs from Italy’s topflight and Lega Serie A President Lorenzo Casini.

While the topic was not officially on the agenda, the preliminary discussions are expected to continue in the coming weeks, Football Italia noted.

The next major step is anticipated to be on January 26 when FIGC President Gabriele Gravina is set to attend the next Lega Serie A meeting.

The main argument in favour of the reduction is the increasing fixture congestion due to the newly formatted Champions League and the Clubs’ World Cup, both scheduled to begin in the summer of 2025.

Top Serie A clubs are of the opinion that reducing the number of teams is necessary to manage the demanding schedule effectively, citing the examples of Ligue 1 and Bundesliga, which currently have 18 teams.

Contrarily, smaller and medium-sized clubs have expressed concerns about the potential challenges of surviving in a reduced Serie A, as well as the financial impact, particularly as it concerns domestic TV rights.

However, for the proposal to move forward, it would require at least 14 favourable votes from the clubs, a threshold that will be difficult to achieve, considering the above stated concerns.