In the early 1990s, clubs in England’s First Division believed a radical overhaul of the domestic game was essential for long-term growth, financial stability and global appeal. That belief ultimately led to the creation of the Premier League.
On 17 July 1991, First Division clubs signed the Founder Members Agreement, a landmark document that set out the framework for a new, breakaway competition. The agreement established that the Premier League would operate with commercial independence from both the Football League and The Football Association, allowing clubs to negotiate their own broadcasting and sponsorship deals.
The decisive break came on 20 February 1992, when all 22 First Division clubs resigned from the Football League simultaneously. Just three months later, on 27 May 1992, the Premier League was formally established as a limited company.
A groundbreaking television deal was soon secured with pay-TV broadcaster BSkyB. Although controversial at the time, the partnership proved transformative. Sky’s continued involvement has been central to the Premier League’s rise into the most-watched and financially powerful domestic football league in the world.
The inaugural Premier League season kicked off on Saturday 15 August 1992, featuring 22 clubs.
The founding members were Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Wimbledon.
Of those original clubs, six have remained ever-present in the Premier League era: Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
From the outset, there was a clear intention to reduce the size of the league to 20 teams in order to improve standards at both club and international level. That transition was completed at the end of the 1994–95 season, when four clubs were relegated and only two promoted.
The move laid the foundations for the modern Premier League and reshaped English football forever.