Premier League should be decreased to 18 teams, says David Dein

David Dein has suggested that the Premier League should contain just 18 teams.  The former Football Association and Arsenal vice chairman was previously instrumental in the league’s formation in 1992.  When the top flight was reformed that year, it contained 22 teams.

Three years after the Premier League formed, the division was then reduced to the current format of 20 clubs.  Although intentions throughout the years were to eventually drop the amount of teams to 18, it obviously never happened.

Premier League should be decreased to 18 teams

“That was a mistake — the FA should have been stronger at the start to enforce that,” said Dein in his book Calling The Shots.  “Now you see France are going down to 18, Germany are 18, and I think we have to look at that again.  I’m a great believer that that’s the way forward to give us a little bit of extra time in the calendar.”

France’s Ligue 1 currently consists of 20 total teams.  However, they will be switching to 18 at the start of the 2023/24 campaign.  Germany’s Bundesliga, on the other hand, has had 18 clubs every season but once since the 1960’s.  There were 20 teams playing in Germany’s top flight for the 1991/92 campaign during the German reunification.

David Dein criticizes Todd Boehly’s wild ideas

In the book, Dein also quashed Todd Boehly’s idea of bringing an All-Star game to the Premier League.  The new Chelsea owner ruffled feathers when he suggested the proposition earlier in the month.  “I’m not in favor of an All-Star game at all,” said Dein. “He’s obviously very ambitious and Americans are always right at the front when it comes to marketing but I think his ideas are a little premature.  My starting point is that every game must be meaningful.”

Dein is still currently an ambassador with both the FA and the Premier League.  Along with helping to create the Premier League in 1992, he also assisted in other areas.  Dein was a driving force behind the hiring of Sven-Goran Eriksson as England national team head coach in 2001.

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