How Will Brexit Affect the Premier League?

The future for the UK after Brexit is uncertain right now. However, one thing you can say for certain is that it will have an effect of the Premier League football that we all watch week in week out. This may be down to work permits being needed, it could affect transfer fees, or it may even affect how the league is seen by others around the world, but it will be affected in some way.

The future of the ‘best league in the world’ is unclear, with much still to be determined but here are some things we may see arrive in the UK on the back of Brexit, and how a Brexit affected Premier League may look.

Will the Premier League Continue Being the Best League in the World?

It is unlikely the Premier League will see any positive effect from Brexit, but it could certainly see a negative one.

As things stand at the moment, clubs in the Premier League are allowed 17 overseas players in their squad. This ensures that the quality of the league is as high as possible, and those at the top of the table can compete with the best in Europe.

The FA want to lower this to 13 if possible and have more relaxed rules around non-EU players, which would help clubs sign players from places such as South America without the strict work-permit rules that are currently in place.

There has been no agreement yet, but there will be changes in some way for foreign players after Brexit.

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What Will Happen to Players Transferred from the EU?

After Brexit, unless there are special concessions in place, players coming to the UK from the EU will be treated in the same was as players who are currently coming here from non-EU countries.

This means work permits and rules surrounding who can and cannot come as a player here. The only way this would change is if the EU and the UK agreed some kind of special arrangement for the movement of people who are working.

If this is in place then players could still move to the UK without the need for a work permit but if not then that will limit the players that can be signed. If a player needs to gain a work permit then they have to pass certain criteria which includes the level they have played at and the number of games they have played. Should a player not reach these then they would fail their work permit application and not be allowed to sign for a UK club.

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Overseas Quota Changes and Others

The issue of Brexit doesn’t directly affect the overseas quota, but the fact that Brexit is happening and rules are changing may give the FA a chance to bring a new lower quota into play. They are keen on this to happen, while the top-end Premier League clubs are keen to keep the quota of overseas players at 17 so they can continue challenging the best in Europe.

This is an issue that is not directly linked to Brexit, but one that is likely to be changed on the back of Brexit, if it is changed at all.