FA chairman Greg Dyke wants to reduce Premier League from 20 clubs to 18 in bid to improve England national team

Dyke will seek talks with Premier League Richard Scudamore, but his proposal to give England players more rest time is likely to face widespread opposition

FA chairman Greg Dyke wants to reduce the number of clubs in the Premier League to 18 (Getty Images)

The Football Association chairman Greg Dyke will seek talks with the Premier League in a bid to reduce the number of clubs in the top flight from 20 to 18.

The Times has revealed the surprising move, which is being proposed in an effort to improve the national team’s fortunes at major competitions. England failed to make it out of their group at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and have not made the semi-finals of a major tournament since the 1996 European Championships held on their own turf.

The reports claims that Dyke will speak to Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore to discuss reducing the size of the top division in English football, which would also have a knock-on effect on the rest of the Football League given that the two extra clubs would need to be allocated somewhere across the Championship, League One and League Two.

However, the move is likely to face huge opposition from clubs both in and outside the Premier League, who would be against seeing fewer spots available in the most lucrative football division in the world.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore (GETTY IMAGES)

The proposal would see England players playing fewer games each season in an effort to give them more rest, though the reduction would see clubs playing 34 matches as opposed to the current Premier League schedule of 38.

It would also come as the first reduction to the top flight since 1995, when the Premier League was reduced from 22 to 20 by a measure of relegating an extra team and restricting one from being promoted.

On that occasion, Crystal Palace were the unlucky side who finished fourth-from bottom, only to be relegated alongside Ipswich, Leicester and Norwich, while Reading – who finished second in the old First Division – missed out on automatic promotion with Bolton Wanderers going up via the play-offs.

The changes would also have an impact on the current Premier League broadcasting deals, and with a new contract set to begin at the start of next season, any changes would likely be impossible until its expiry in 2019.