The Football Association have revealed plans being discussed by UEFA would change the way clubs qualifying for the Champions League in the future.
The governing body are proposing major changes to European club competitions that would effectively bring an end to the race for the top four, beyond 2024.
In the new plans, they are looking at limiting the number of different clubs that could play in Europe's top club competition.
The proposals, which are laid out as part of the FA's annual report and financial statement today, say UEFA have tabled the idea that the make-up of a 32-team Champions League in 2024-25 would be based on a team's league position in the previous four seasons - starting from 2020-21.
The FA say the changes would be designed to "protect elite European club revenue streams" and that it would reduce the competition for a top four finish.
And the only way to then qualify for the competition after that would be to either win the league title or reach the semi-finals of the expanded 32-team Europa League.
Qualifying for the Europa League thereafter would be through reaching the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League (which is due to launch in 2021) or via league position.
The Europa Conference League, the third European club competition, would be expanded to 64 teams, in the 2024 plans, and qualification would be based on where teams finish in their domestic leagues.
The FA have today said: “The aim of this proposal is to drive increased revenue opportunities, protect elite European club revenue streams, and meet the demands of a growing, international audience; however it would result in additional matches for English club (eight additional match days) in an already heavily-congested schedule, and would reduce the competition for a ‘top four’ finish in the Premier League, which has become a key feature among the ‘big six’ English clubs.
"The FA continues to work with all stakeholders to reach an acceptable position.”
Liverpool are currently the holders of UEFA’s premier club competition after beating Premier League rivals Tottenham 2-0 in the final in Madrid last season.
And, at this moment in time, are the club who have mathematically secured their place in next season’s Champions League.
