'Football is destined to die' - Napoli president calls for 'modern answers' to capture 'distracted' kids in grave warning to Europe's top leagues

De Laurentiis has never shied away from blunt truths. For years, he has positioned himself as football’s reformer-in-chief, unafraid to call out what he believes are fatal flaws in the game’s structure. In his view, football is losing its grip on younger audiences-too slow, too outdated, and too detached from what captivates kids today. His latest comments follow the same line, but with an even sharper warning for Europe’s top leagues. The president had earlier also suggested radical reforms advocating for a 16-team Serie A and free broadcast of matches. 

“Football is doomed. Real reforms are needed.” With these words, De Laurentiis launched a fiery critique of the sport’s current path, in a press conference.

"Football must find a new path, because as it is currently conceived in Italy and in many other European countries, it is destined to die because it will not be able to survive and sustain the current costs. I hope that at some point there will be a chance to rethink how to organise the championships, how to organise the game of football so that kids and young people don't get distracted as they do today, only enjoying the highlights because during matches they fiddle around, they don't have time to watch what they consider slow and boring and a thing of the past.

"This too should make us reflect and ask ourselves 'How should this football be changed, and why not change quickly?' Perhaps to allow those who, holding some institutional position, are afraid the toy will break in their hands to live peacefully? But this is not right and proper for the many millions of fans who would like less alarming and more modern answers."

The Napoli owner has long pushed for radical solutions. Among them is reducing Serie A to 16 teams, a throwback to 1986. He believes fewer matches would protect players from burnout, increase competitiveness, and restore the league’s credibility.

His other proposal is free-to-air broadcasts funded by advertising. He argues this would democratise access, bring back millions of fans alienated by paywalls, and boost ratings dramatically, reigniting passion for Italian football.

Beyond Serie A, De Laurentiis sees the entire European game in decline. Too many matches, ballooning debts, and governance controlled by institutions instead of clubs have left the system "broken", the film producer says. He is not the only figure calling for a reduction in the number of matches being played. Former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels recently spoke out in favour of reducing the calendar, echoing sentiments made by Kylian Mbappe. Kevin De Bruyne, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have all spoken out, too.