Serie A clubs have rejected the proposal put forth by the top four teams to reduce the league’s size from 20 to 18 teams.
In a notable display of diverse opinions within Italian football, Serie A teams, in a collective decision at the league’s general assembly meeting on February 12, opted to maintain the current 20-team format. The proposal to streamline the league faced opposition despite the backing of football giants Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Roma. Only these four clubs supported the reduction, falling short of the required majority.
The initiative, driven by the influential quartet, aimed to enhance match quality and alleviate fixture congestion by reducing the league size. However, the proposal needed 14 votes for approval, a threshold it did not reach. Serie A has operated with 20 teams since its expansion in the 2004-05 season, and this format will persist after the recent vote.
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Criticism emerged from other clubs, with Torino’s president, Urbino Cairo, comparing the proposal to Super League ambitions. In contrast, Ligue 1 in France successfully transitioned to an 18-team league this season, garnering widespread support among its clubs in 2021. Among Europe’s top five leagues, only the German Bundesliga currently operates with 18 teams, while the Premier League and LaLiga feature 20 teams.
The meeting also witnessed the approval of reforms to grant Serie A more autonomy, akin to the Premier League model. These reforms will be presented at the Italian soccer federation’s extraordinary general assembly in March, aiming to enhance Serie A’s decision-making capabilities.
Lorenzo Casini, Serie A president, stressed the need for change, emphasizing that the current system doesn’t provide Serie A with the autonomy and decision-making weight it should have given its economic significance.
Additionally, in a significant development earlier this month, Serie A and Enilive, Eni’s sustainable energy subsidiary, announced a new title sponsorship deal, marking a new chapter in the league’s commercial partnerships.