News
Premier League’s major clubs propose shrinking top flight of English football in a major shake-up
New proposals would see money go straight to lower leagues, but control of the Premiership would be handed to just nine teams
The biggest shake-up of English football in a generation is being proposed by Manchester United and Liverpool and it would see the number of teams in the top flight reduced from 20 to 18.
Sky News’ sports correspondent Martha Kelner said the changes would be “seismic” and put the majority of the power into the hands of the biggest clubs.
The plan – called Project Big Picture – has been confirmed to Sky News, and was first reported in the Sunday Telegraph.
As well as a change in size, the new proposals would change the leagues finances and power system.
A quarter of the league’s revenue would go to the English Football League (EFL), with £250m paid up front to help them through the coronavirus crisis..Advertisement
The FA would also receive £100m as a gift.
A change in the power structure would mean an end to the one-club, one-vote system
Instead, the nine clubs that have been in the league for the longest amount of time will have full control of the running of the league.
Those teams would also be able to play more games in the Champions League, which is set to be expanded in 2024.
Across the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two, there would be 90 clubs in total, and the League Cup and Community Shield competitions would also be abolished.
For Championship clubs, there would be two automatic promotion places, whole the third, fourth and fifth placed clubs would enter into the play-offs with the 16th placed Premier League club.
The move has support from the chairman of the EFL, Rick Parry, who has held talks with both Liverpool and Manchester United.
Lower league clubs have been calling for more support, after the coronavirus crisis left them unable to open their grounds.
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday, the chairman of Colchester United, a League Two club, said the Premier League “really should step in and do something” because they are “in danger from the building that’s crumbling below them”.
“The Premier League sits on top of a pyramid, and it’s a really proud thing we have in our game, this system that goes all the way down into non-league as well,” Robbie Cowling told Sky News.
“Most of the England team, most of the Premiership teams, their players have come from grassroots, they’ve all played under-9s football somewhere.
“The Premier League seems to think that we suck from it, but that’s not the case. It sucks from the rest of the pyramid system. It really should step in and do something. They have to.
“If they think they’re enjoying this penthouse view and they’re not in danger from the building that’s crumbling below them, they’re absolutely mad.” (Source – Sky News)
Football
Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2024: Super Eight Round Concludes – Semifinalists Confirmed!
The Super Eight Round of the Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2024 (Under 20 Division 1 Boys Football Tournament) has ended on a high note, producing four standout teams that will battle for a place in the final. Below is a comprehensive look at the match results, final points tables, and key highlights from the tournament so far.
Match Results Overview
- St. Joseph’s College 4-0 Darussalam College
- Kalutara Muslim Central 2-3 Alighar National School
- Hameed Al Husseine College 1-0 Al Falah College
- Zahira College 4-0 St. Patrick’s College
- St. Joseph’s College 1-1 Alighar National School
- Darussalam College 7-0 Kalutara Muslim Central
- Al Falah College 0-3 Zahira College
- St. Patrick’s College 0-4 Hameed Al Husseine College
- Alighar National School 5-1 Darussalam College
- St. Joseph’s College 1-0 Kalutara Muslim Central
- Zahira College 2-0 Hameed Al Husseine College
- Al Falah College 3-2 St. Patrick’s College
Group A Standings
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alighar National School | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 7 |
| 2 | St. Joseph’s College | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 7 |
| 3 | Darussalam College | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | -1 | 3 |
| 4 | Kalutara Muslim Central College | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 0 |
Top Two (Advancing to Semifinals):
- Alighar National School
- St. Joseph’s College
Group B Standings
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zahira College | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | +9 | 9 |
| 2 | Hameed Al Husseine College | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 |
| 3 | Al Falah College | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 3 |
| 4 | St. Patrick’s College | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 0 |
Top Two (Advancing to Semifinals):
- Zahira College
- Hameed Al Husseine College
Summary & Semi-Final Preview
- Alighar National School and St. Joseph’s College finished level on points at the top of Group A. Their draw against each other kept the race tight, but both teams delivered strong performances in the remaining matches to secure 7 points each.
- Zahira College dominated Group B with three consecutive wins, scoring 9 goals and conceding none. Hameed Al Husseine College followed suit, showcasing solid defense and earning 6 points to claim the second semi-final berth.
- Darussalam College, Kalutara Muslim Central, Al Falah College, and St. Patrick’s College showed fighting spirit but fell short in the quest for the knockout stage.
Semi Finals
- Alighar National School will face Hameed Al Husseine College in the Semi Finals
- Zahira College will face St. Joseph’s College in the Semi Finals
The semi-finals promise high-octane clashes as the top contenders face off. Stay tuned to Sri Lankan Sports TV for exclusive match previews, live coverage, and post-match analysis as we approach the grand finale of the Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2025.
World Rugby has extended Sri Lanka Rugby’s (SLR) deadline until June 15, 2025, to address its governance issues, warning that failure to comply will result in immediate sanctions, including a possible ban from international competitions.
Acknowledging the persistent efforts of Sri Lanka’s Competent Authority and Director General of Sports, Professor (Rear Admiral) Shemal Fernando, World Rugby remains firm on its conditions. SLR must implement a revised constitution and conduct elections within the next four months to meet international standards.
To oversee these reforms, a Working Taskforce has been formed, featuring representatives from World Rugby, Asia Rugby, the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lankan government. Led by Asia Rugby, this task force is responsible for guiding SLR through the required changes.
The reform process consists of two key phases. The initial phase focuses on reviewing voting eligibility, finalizing constitutional amendments, and organizing a Special General Meeting (SGM). The next phase involves adopting the new constitution at the SGM, followed by elections monitored by World Rugby, Asia Rugby, and local sports authorities.
SLR has faced repeated scrutiny over governance failures, prompting multiple interventions from international rugby bodies. With this deadline set, Sri Lanka Rugby has one final opportunity to align with global governance standards and secure its future in international rugby.
Sky Market Travels, a leading travel agency, has partnered with Sri Lanka Schools’ Football to contribute to the development of school football in the country.
As a first step, Sky Market Travels (Pvt) Ltd has joined as a sponsor for the Sri Lanka Schools’ National Championship 2024 Under-20 Division One tournament, organized by the Sri Lanka Schools’ Football Association.
This prestigious tournament, featuring 20 of Sri Lanka’s top school teams, has long been a vital platform for young players to showcase their talent at the national level. By stepping in as a sponsor, Sky Market Travels is playing a key role in supporting the future of Sri Lankan school football.
The event was attended by the President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka, Jaswar Umar, the Head of the Coach Education Department and former National Team Captain, Sampath Perera, Elite Youth Manager Dudley Steinwal, Members of Schools’ Football Association, and the Managing Director of Sky Market Travels (Pvt) ltd Mohamed Faroos, the President of the Negombo Poruthota Soccer Fans Rizwan, and its Manager Nufri.
With this partnership, Sky Market Travels has taken a significant step in uplifting school football and providing aspiring young footballers with better opportunities to excel at the national level.
Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2024: Super Eight Round Concludes – Semifinalists Confirmed!
World Rugby Sets Final Deadline for Sri Lanka Rugby Governance Reforms
Sky Market Travels Joins Hands with Sri Lanka Schools’ Football
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