Premier League backs proposed decade-long funding deal with EFL
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Premier League clubs have unanimously backed a proposed 10-year funding partnership with the English Football League, bringing a long-running dispute over financial support closer to a settlement. The EFL will now examine the formal proposal with its board and 72 member clubs, with agreement potentially averting regulatory intervention.
No official value has been disclosed, although Sky News reported the package could be worth £1.5bn. The Premier League says the proposal is fully funded, likely through a transfer levy, and comes alongside its existing commitment to invest £1.6bn every three years in the wider game and communities.
- Premier League clubs back a proposed 10-year EFL funding deal
- EFL clubs must now consider the formal proposal
- Reported £1.5bn value remains unconfirmed
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English professional football is organised in a pyramid. The Premier League is the top division, while the English Football League, or EFL, runs the 72 clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two below it.
The two bodies have long discussed how money generated by the Premier League’s television deals and commercial income should be shared with lower-division clubs. The issue matters because many EFL teams rely on this support, while the financial gap between the divisions can be especially sharp for clubs promoted to or relegated from the Premier League.
The government is establishing an independent regulator for English football with powers to intervene in some financial arrangements. A voluntary long-term agreement between the leagues could therefore shape how funding is distributed across the professional game without the regulator having to impose terms.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporting the proposal reflects the conviction that the Premier League has both a moral and structural obligation to maintain a healthy football pyramid, as EFL clubs form the foundation of English football development and serve vital community functions. Dedicated, long-term funding prevents recurring financial crises and ensures stability, whilst the transfer levy mechanism is a proportional way for the most successful clubs to contribute without burdening the game's broader sustainability.
The case against
Opposition stems from legitimate concerns that the transfer levy could discourage investment in player development and recruitment at Premier League level, potentially harming competitive quality. Additionally, some contend that sustained subsidies may obscure rather than solve the structural financial problems in lower divisions, and that the EFL should demonstrate greater fiscal responsibility and self-sufficiency rather than depending on Premier League bailouts.
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Originally published by BBC Sport as “Premier League clubs agree EFL funding proposal”.