SUMMARY
- Soccer is constantly changing and adapting to the needs of the new generation.
- Rule changes including the VAR has taken place recently.
A 20-team league is the norm in European soccer but the only constant is change and it seems like European soccer is going to take up an 18-team league format soon. Traditional soccer is long gone and we are being introduced to several changes every season. Rules are being changed, VAR has come in, there were also talks of a blue card, and the list goes on. Can the reduction in teams per league be the next change?
Ligue 1 will go from 20 to 18 clubs. It will now become the second league among the top 5 leagues to have 18 teams after the Bundesliga.
This change received 98% of the votes in the general assembly of the LFP (French professional league) [@RMCsport]— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) June 3, 2021
France’s Ligue 1 has already applied that change. Germany’s Bundesliga has been an 18-team league since the 1960s except for a one-off season in the early 1990s. Out of the top five leagues, only three remain with 20-team leagues. Will they follow suit like their French counterparts? Well, it has its pros and cons. Let’s have a look.
What problems does an 18-team league season solve?
Since the past few years, there have been talks of cramped schedules, overworked players, and a never-ending list of injuries. An 18-team league season would help ease that up.
In the European leagues, all teams play against each other twice – once at home and once away. A 20-team league means each team plays 38 matches throughout a single season. If the teams are reduced to 18, then each team would play four matches less. Therefore, a total of 34 matches per season. A norm in the Bundesliga, and a new beginning for the Ligue 1.
Will the English Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A follow suit? Well, as of now, Serie A won’t. The Italian league has recently voted against making Serie A an 18-team league. Representatives of Roma, Inter, and Juventus were in favor of the motion but others were not.
BREAKING: Serie A has voted to remain with 20 teams ❌
Roma, Inter, Milan, and Juventus voted for 18 teams, but all others said no, via @Fil_Biafora.
Torino President Urbano Cairo claims that Inter Milan and Juve met with FIGC on their own and acted like a ‘mini Super League’. pic.twitter.com/3TGs9RqQQT
— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) February 12, 2024
Evidently, the teams that are in Europe feel the pressure. There comes a point in time when teams are playing almost eight times a month. Playing soccer at the highest level and playing with that frequency is bound to invite injuries and stress for the club, overall.
Moreover, many players are doing this throughout the year with barely any breaks as international soccer is also taking over with UEFA Nations League, UEFA Euro, and the FIFA World Cup taking up the season-breaks.
There are also talks of cutting down the extra cup competition if any. Like the Carabao Cup, in England. The major advantage of an 18-team league season is the less cramped schedule for players. They get more time for recovery and there are fewer injuries.
Who will face a loss in the 18-team league season?
Cons will be faced by the teams on the lower end of the leagues. They will be missing out on top-flight soccer and the money that comes with it. There is a huge difference between the money involved in the top flight and the second tier. Another con would be a breakage of tradition. The 20-team league season is a tradition. Breaking the tradition would mean giving rise to a new era. Are the stakeholders ready for that?
🚨| New FIFA Club World Cup format from 2025 — 32 teams total:
• AFC x 4
• CAF x 4
• CONCACAF x 4
• CONMEBOL x 6
• OFC x 1
• UEFA x 12
• Host country x 1 pic.twitter.com/nJoed3YiMe— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) February 14, 2023
Well, hopefully, they are. The 18-team league season is the only correct way to go. With the FIFA Club World Cup also expanding into a proper tournament with more teams, many European teams already have more games lined up in the coming seasons. Something has to be done about the cramped schedules and cutting down these games will go a long way in saving players some legs.