The Football Association has expressed "serious reservations" about the Premier League's plans to play a 39th round of matches overseas.

The 20 top-flight clubs have voted to consider a scheme to extend the season to 39 games from the 2010-2011 season, with the extra matches taking place in five cities around the world.

The FA will discuss the matter fully at a board meeting next Thursday, and have insisted they believe the proposal, which was criticised yesterday by Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, has not yet harmed England's 2018 World Cup bid.

The FA statement said: "The Football Association has listened carefully to the comments made by Fifa president Sepp Blatter regarding the Premier League's proposal for an international round of fixtures.

"This proposal has generated a high level of debate both domestically and with the international football family. While the Football Association has given full consideration to views expressed by all parties, we must also make our own position on this subject clear.

"We can confirm that the Football Association did speak to Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke about this matter yesterday. We explained that while we had received a verbal summary on the subject, at this time we are not in possession of any detailed proposals from the Premier League to pass on to Fifa.

"It was also made clear to Fifa that the Football Association has some serious reservations about the proposal. We have a responsibility to the whole of English football and we have to consider any wider consequences and implications that this proposal may create.

"As a national association we also recognise the authority of Fifa and its executive committee. We have heard the criticism from supporters and the objections raised by others in the worldwide football family.

"The Football Association has worked extremely hard for several years to improve our relationships and standing with Fifa and Uefa, and has largely succeeded.

"Clearly we do not want this extensive work to be damaged. We also do not want the Premier League's proposal to affect England's 2018 World Cup bid in any way. At this time, due to the Football Association's strong international relations, we do not believe it has."