The number of English league teams may be increased to 100 following radical proposals put forward by the Football League to create a fifth division.

If the proposal is accepted, a new 20 team league will be established in time for the 2019-20 season, with the Championship, League One and League Two – which all currently have 24 teams – being cut to 20 teams each.

Of the 72 Football League clubs outside the Premier League, 90 per cent will have to support the plan for it to go ahead. A decision will be made during the Football League’s annual general meeting in June 2017. Including Premier League clubs, the Football League has a total of 92 teams.

The Premier League and the Football Association (FA) have backed the plan in principle.

According to the Football League, the changes will stop fixture congestion and limit the amount of games being played during the week. Despite the scaling back of league fixtures, the body has also claimed the move would be good financially for its clubs.

Relegation from the Football League would be scrapped in the 2018/19 season if the proposal is given the green light. The other details around promotion and relegation are yet to be revealed.