Several foreign-owned Premier League clubs want to scrap relegation, according to League Managers Association (LMA) chief Richard Bevan.
If more clubs are sold to foreigner investors, they may have enough votes to force through the change.
But Bevan hopes that a government-led inquiry can help prevent the proposal.
"We're very keen that the report is successful in helping the Football Association introduce a licensing programme for clubs," he said.
"Because there are a number of overseas-owned clubs already talking about bringing about the avoidance of promotion and relegation in the Premier League.
"If we have four or five more new owners, that could happen."
PREMIER LEAGUE FOREIGN OWNERSContinue reading the main story
- Aston Villa (Randy Lerner)
- Blackburn (Venkys Group)
- Chelsea (Roman Abramovich)
- Fulham (Mohamed Al Fayed)
- Liverpool (Fenway Sports Group)
- Manchester United (Glazer family)
- Manchester City (Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan)
- Sunderland (Ellis Short)
- QPR (Tony Fernandes)
- *Arsenal's Stan Kroenke is a majority shareholder
Nearly half of the Premier League's 20 clubs are under foreign ownership, with rules stipulating that if changes are to be made to the format, 14 clubs must vote in favour of any new reforms.
Blackburn joined the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea in this class when they were taken over by Indian-owned Venky's Group last season.
The claim by LMA chief executive Bevan comes a week after the government demanded changes to the way that football is run.
Sports minister Hugh Robertson said that an FA-led licensing system would be brought in to safeguard against issues such as financial mismanagement, asset-stripping owners and tax avoidance.
The government also asked for rules to manage club debts and an overhaul of the FA board.
Last Wednesday, Liverpool's managing director Ian Ayre also said the Premier League's overseas television revenues should be skewed in favour of big clubs.
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