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Clubs narrow scope for revamped English Football League structure

Barnsley v Wigan Athletic - Sky Bet Championship

BARNSLEY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: A Barnsley player wears a ‘SkyBet’ logo on his shirt during the Sky Bet Championship match between Barnsley and Wigan Athletic at Oakwell on August 03, 2013 in Barnsley, England, (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

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LONDON (AP) Premier League B teams and clubs outside of England will not form part of the country’s reorganized league structure starting from the 2019-20 season.

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Clubs in the Football League, which runs the three leagues below the Premier League, met on Thursday to consider issues surrounding the revamp of the English game.

Currently, there are four divisions comprising 92 clubs. The idea is to have 100 clubs across five 20-team divisions, including a new “League Three.”

The Football League said in a statement that “the inclusion of Premier League B teams, clubs from non-English leagues or those outside the English football pyramid will not form part of any ongoing discussions for the `Whole Game Solution.’”

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There was also consensus among clubs that they will play through a winter break, if one was introduced in English football.

Any final decisions on the reorganized structure will not be made until June 2017.