Aurelio De Laurentiis has sparked fresh debate with a series of radical ideas aimed at reshaping modern football and attracting younger audiences.
The Napoli president believes the sport must evolve to remain appealing, especially as interest declines among new generations. Inspired by ongoing discussions led by figures like Arsène Wenger and Michel Platini, he proposes significant changes to the rules and structure of the game.
Among his most striking suggestions, the Italian executive wants to reduce match duration to 50 minutes of effective playing time, split into two halves of 25 minutes. In the middle of his proposals, Aurelio De Laurentiis explained, “I would reduce the length of each half from 45 to 25 minutes,” insisting that stopping the clock would eliminate time-wasting and improve the spectacle.
He also suggested replacing traditional yellow and red cards with temporary expulsions, stating, “You’re out for five minutes… you’re out for 20 minutes,” to ensure immediate punishment during matches.
Beyond rule changes, he also questioned the current structure of competitions, advocating for a reduced Serie A with only 16 clubs and even proposing a new European competition featuring elite teams from top leagues.
He further criticized VAR and the offside rule, arguing that “we need to score more goals” and calling for major adjustments. While these ideas may divide opinion, they highlight a growing urgency to rethink football’s future, according to Aurelio De Laurentiis.