The English Premier League, a History

Close-up of a footballer's legs controlling the ball in a packed, illuminated stadium

The Premier League is a football league in England that sees some of the world’s top teams competing for the League Cup. Currently, 20 English and Welsh clubs are included in the league and, each season, teams are promoted to the Premier League from the Championship or relegated if they do not perform well. The season runs from August to May, with teams playing 38 matches each, which usually take place on Saturdays and Sundays.

The history of the EPL dates back to 1888, when it was known as the Football League and it is considered to be the oldest competition in world football. Prior to its inception, football matches were arranged somewhat erratically between individual teams, which led to chaotic fixtures. However, in 1888 William McGregor, who was then the director of Aston Villa, wrote to the committee of his own club, as well as those of other popular football teams. He suggested the formation of a league so that fixtures could be prearranged and the Football League, with four divisions, was then created after a meeting in Manchester.

In 1992 the First Division clubs resigned from the Football League so that they could take part in what became the EPL, but the Football League retained the other three divisions. This allowed for a promotion and relegation system to be established, whereby the top teams compete against one another in the EPL, with teams from the three divisions in the Football League (the Championship, League One and League Two) fighting for promotion. However, seven clubs have been members of the EPL for every season since its formation: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Thanks to the quality of the players, the epic stadiums and the loyal fan base, the EPL has grown from strength to strength and is considered by many to be the leading European football league. If you’re a football fan then you may be interested in our EPL Soccer Vacation, which includes match entry and seating for an EPL game of your choice, along with a stadium tour. Contact us to start planning your perfect football vacation.

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