French Football League President Plans To Reduce Ligue 1 From 20 To 18 Clubs

French Football League (LFP) President Frederic Thiriez "is keen to return Ligue 1 to an 18-club competition," according to SOCCEREX. French newspaper L'Equipe reported that "the proposal has already polarised opinion within the French game," with the top division having previously existed with 18 clubs from '97-98 "before it returned to its traditional 20-club model when the Ligue 1 brand was formed" in '02-03. Thiriez’s plan "is understood to revolve around improving the quality of Ligue 1, reducing the fixture calendar and increasing the distribution of TV revenues for clubs in the top flight." The proposal "would also reduce the number of promotion and relegation places between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 from three to two and introduce a financial bonus system for French clubs that are successful in the UEFA Europa League" (SOCCEREX, 9/30).