ROME, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Italian Football Association vice president Demetrio Albertini confirmed on Wednesday that they could follow the path to reduce Serie A to 18 or even 16 teams.

"Reducing the number of teams in Serie A could be the path to follow," Albertini said.

"It would reduce costs and make the tournament more competitive as well as intriguing," he said.

Serie A had 16 teams from 1967 to 1998, then increased to 18 and was bumped up to 20 in 2004.

Whereas four teams used to be relegated to Serie B each summer, that figure is now just three.