Regulations: ongoing debate on a transition from 20-18 clubs in the top flight in France and Italy

"There is an idea and a project that I have been working on and that I will submit to all stakeholders, which includes a Serie A with 18 teams from the 2023-24 season. I am interested in a much broader reform of the Italian football system, than for just the Serie A alone. The 18-team league, as well as play-offs and play-outs, is a subject that is also being discussed in other countries. This means that we are ahead of time," said Gabriele Gravina, FIGC president, on 17/05/2021.

The FIGC president decided to put the issue of reducing the number of clubs in the top flight on the agenda of the first "technical meeting on the economic crisis of professional clubs" to which the professional leagues (Lega Serie A, Lega Serie B and Lega Pro) and club representatives are invited, on Friday 21/05/2021.

Among the objectives pursued by the reduction in the number of teams is that of dividing revenues - in particular those from TV rights - by 18 rather than 20, and thus enabling clubs to increase their revenues in order to better withstand the economic consequences of the health crisis. It is…