Serie A

Lore & Background

The league was organised by the Direttorio Divisioni Superiori until 1943, the Lega Calcio from 1946 to 2010, and the Lega Serie A ever since. The 29 championships from 1898 to 1929 are officially recognised by the FIGC as equal to later Serie A titles. The 1945–46 season, played under a temporary post-war format, is also recognised. Since 1924, the winner has worn the scudetto emblem, and since 1961, the Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy has been awarded. The league currently ranks second in the UEFA coefficient rankings as of 2024–25, behind the Premier League and ahead of La Liga. Notable clubs include Juventus, Inter Milan, and AC Milan, with Juventus being the most decorated in Italy. The 'seven sisters' historically included Roma, Lazio, Parma, Fiorentina, but now include Napoli and Atalanta.

In Their Own Story

The tunnel at the San Siro hums with a low, sustained roar. On the pitch, the floodlights cut through a thin Milanese mist, and the grass glistens. You line up your back four, tuck the midfielders in, and watch the opposition's winger drift wide. The referee's whistle splits the air, the ball rolls out from the centre circle, and for ninety minutes the only language that matters is the one spoken in touches, presses, and the geometry of space. The scoreboard ticks. The crowd swells. It is, in the quiet way the game renders it, a Tuesday night in Serie A.

Reader's Guide

For most of its history, Serie A had 16 or 18 clubs; since 2004–05, it has had 20 clubs. The season runs from August to May, with each team playing 38 matches (19 home, 19 away) in a round-robin format. Since 1994–95, wins are worth three points, draws one point, losses zero. The three lowest-placed teams are relegated to Serie B, replaced by three promoted teams. European qualification is based on league position and UEFA coefficient performance.

Did You Know?

• The first Italian championship was held on 8 May 1898 at the Velodrome Humbert I in Turin, won by Genoa CFC.
• From 1921 to 1926, a rival tournament called Prima Divisione was run by the Confederazione Calcistica Italiana.
• In 1926, the Fascist regime placed the FIGC under control of politician Leandro Arpinati.
• The trophy Coppa Campioni d'Italia was first awarded in the 1960–61 season.
• In April 2009, Serie A split from Serie B after a vote on television rights.