Premier League Pushes to End EFL Funding Deadlock — SkimNews
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- Premier League said it wants to reach agreement with the EFL "as soon as possible" on a new 10-year deal, though the EFL has yet to sign on despite its clubs having agreed on terms in late July
- The proposal would channel an additional £1.8bn to 72 EFL clubs, partly funded by increasing the Premier League's transfer levy
- The deal would require scrapping the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final and include controls preventing the extra money from being spent on player wages
- If no agreement is reached, the Independent Football Regulator has "backstop" powers to impose a settlement — an outcome the Premier League explicitly says it wants to avoid
- The core dispute centers on parachute payments to relegated clubs, which the EFL argues distort competition while the Premier League says are essential for investment confidence
- The row dates to a 2021 fan-led review commissioned after the European Super League and collapse of Bury FC; in March 2024 the government warned both leagues an imposed deal would follow if talks failed
Why it matters: The Premier League's rush to close this deal stems from a regulatory deadline: if talks fail, the Independent Football Regulator's backstop powers allow it to impose terms — an outcome the Premier League explicitly says it wants to avoid. The £1.8bn, 10-year offer and the scrapped Carabao Cup semi-final second leg show the scale of concessions the top flight is willing to accept to keep control of the settlement.
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