Serie A facts for kids
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| Organising body | Lega Serie A |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1898 1929 (as round-robin) |
| Country | Italy |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of teams | 20 (since 2004–05) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Serie B |
| Domestic cup(s) | |
| International cup(s) |
|
| Current champions | Inter Milan (20th title) (2023–24) |
| Most championships | Juventus (36 titles) |
| Most appearances |
|
| Top goalscorer | Silvio Piola (274) |
| TV partners | List of broadcasters |
The Serie A is the top professional football league in Italy. It is often called Serie A TIM because of its sponsor. Teams compete to win the Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy and the scudetto. The scudetto is a special badge that the winning team wears on their jersey the next season.
This league has been played in a "round-robin" style for over 90 years. This means every team plays every other team twice. Serie A is known as one of the best football leagues in the world. Many people think it's very tactical and strong in defense. In 2023, it was even named the world's best national league by IFFHS. It is also ranked second among European leagues by UEFA. This ranking is based on how well Italian clubs do in big European competitions. These include the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.
The current format of the Italian Football Championship started in the 1929–30 season. Before that, games were played in regional groups. Titles won before 1929 are still officially recognized.
Serie A is home to some of the most famous football clubs. These include Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan. These clubs have won many important titles. Juventus is Italy's most successful club. AC Milan has won many international titles. Inter Milan was the first Italian team to win a "treble" in one season. This means they won their league, their main domestic cup, and the Champions League all in the same year. These three clubs, along with Lazio, Fiorentina, Roma, and Napoli, are sometimes called the "seven sisters" of Italian football.
Many of the greatest footballers in history have played in Serie A. In 2017, a football magazine picked 100 top players. More players from that list had played in Serie A than in any other league. Also, Juventus has produced the most FIFA World Cup champions.
Contents
History of Serie A
The Serie A we know today began in the 1929–30 season. Before that, from 1898 to 1922, teams played in regional groups. As more teams joined, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) made changes. They created a northern league, which is like today's Lega Serie A. Later, southern teams joined the national division. This led to the league's current setup in 1929.
The Serie A championship title is called the scudetto, which means "small shield." This is because since the 1923–24 season, the winning team wears a small badge with the Italian flag on their jersey. Juventus has won the most championships with 36 titles. Inter Milan is next with 20, followed by AC Milan with 19.
Since the 2004–05 season, the winning club gets a real trophy on the field. This trophy is called the Coppa Campioni d'Italia. It has been used officially since the 1960–61 season.
In April 2009, Serie A decided to separate from Serie B. This was mainly due to disagreements over television rights. In April 2016, Serie A was chosen to test video replays in games. This technology helps referees make better decisions. It was first used in the 2017–18 season. In February 2024, clubs voted to keep the 20-team format.
How Serie A Works
For most of its history, Serie A had 16 or 18 clubs. But since 2004–05, there have been 20 clubs. One season (1947–48) had 21 teams due to special reasons after World War II.
Here's how many teams played in each season:
- 18 clubs: 1929–1934
- 16 clubs: 1934–1943
- 20 clubs: 1946–1947
- 21 clubs: 1947–1948
- 20 clubs: 1948–1952
- 18 clubs: 1952–1967
- 16 clubs: 1967–1988
- 18 clubs: 1988–2004
- 20 clubs: 2004–present
The season runs from August to May. Each club plays every other team twice. They play once at home and once away. This means each team plays 38 games in total. This is a true round-robin tournament. The first half of the season is called the andata. The second half is called the ritorno. Since the 1994–95 season, teams get three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Before that, a win was worth two points.
The three teams with the fewest points at the end of the season are moved down to Serie B. Three teams from Serie B are then promoted to Serie A for the next season.
European Qualification
Serie A is currently ranked as the fourth-best league by UEFA. This means the top four teams in Serie A get to play directly in the UEFA Champions League group stage. The team that finishes fifth, and the winner of the Coppa Italia (if they are not already in the top five), qualify for the UEFA Europa League group stage. The sixth or seventh-placed team might get to play in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualification rounds. This depends on how the Coppa Italia winner finishes in the league.
How Ties Are Broken
If two teams have the same number of points at the very top (for first place) or at 17th place (to avoid relegation), they play a special game. This game is 90 minutes long, and if it's still a draw, it goes straight to penalties. There is no extra time. This play-off game is held at a neutral location. If three or more teams are tied for these spots, a mini-table is used to decide which two teams play the game.
For all other tied positions, these rules are used:
- 1. Points from games played between the tied teams.
- 2. Goal difference from games played between the tied teams.
- 3. Overall goal difference for the season.
- 4. Total number of goals scored in the season.
- 5. If still tied for a European spot or relegation, a play-off game is held. Otherwise, a coin flip decides.
A play-off game was only used once to decide the champion. This happened in the 1963–64 season. Bologna beat Inter 2–0 to win the scudetto.
Clubs in Serie A
Before 1929, many clubs played in the top Italian football league. This was because games were organized regionally. Since Serie A became a single league, 68 different clubs have competed.
2023–24 Season Clubs
The following 20 clubs played in Serie A during the 2023–24 season.
| Team | Location | Current Stadium | Stadium Capacity | Serie A titles | National titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atalanta | Bergamo | Gewiss Stadium | 24,950 | 0 | 0 |
| Bologna | Bologna | Stadio Renato Dall'Ara | 38,279 | 5 | 7 |
| Cagliari | Cagliari | Sardegna Arena | 16,416 | 1 | 1 |
| Empoli | Empoli | Stadio Carlo Castellani | 16,284 | 0 | 0 |
| Fiorentina | Florence | Stadio Artemio Franchi | 43,147 | 2 | 2 |
| Frosinone | Frosinone | Stadio Benito Stirpe | 16,227 | 0 | 0 |
| Genoa | Genoa | Stadio Luigi Ferraris | 36,599 | 0 | 9 |
| Hellas Verona | Verona | Marcantonio Bentegodi | 39,211 | 1 | 1 |
| Inter Milan | Milan | Giuseppe Meazza | 80,018 | 18 | 20 |
| Juventus | Turin | Allianz Stadium | 41,507 | 34 | 36 |
| Lazio | Rome | Stadio Olimpico | 70,634 | 2 | 2 |
| Lecce | Lecce | Stadio Ettore Giardiniero - Via del Mare | 31,533 | 0 | 0 |
| AC Milan | Milan | Giuseppe Meazza | 80,018 | 16 | 19 |
| Monza | Monza | Stadio Brianteo | 16,917 | 0 | 0 |
| Napoli | Naples | Stadio Diego Armando Maradona | 54,726 | 3 | 3 |
| Roma | Rome | Stadio Olimpico | 70,634 | 3 | 3 |
| Salernitana | Salerno | Stadio Arechi | 37,800 | 0 | 0 |
| Sassuolo | Sassuolo | Mappei Stadium - Città del Tricolore | 21,584 | 0 | 0 |
| Torino | Turin | Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino | 27,958 | 5 | 7 |
| Udinese | Udine | Stadio Friuli | 25,144 | 0 | 0 |
Seasons Played in Serie A
68 teams have played in Serie A since the 1929–30 season. Inter Milan is the only team that has played in every single Serie A season.
Here are some of the teams with the most seasons in Serie A:
- 93 seasons: Inter Milan
- 92 seasons: Juventus, Roma
- 91 seasons: AC Milan
- 87 seasons: Fiorentina
- 82 seasons: Lazio
- 81 seasons: Torino
- 79 seasons: Napoli
- 78 seasons: Bologna
- 66 seasons: Sampdoria
- 64 seasons: Atalanta
Bold indicates clubs that are currently playing in Serie A.
Serie A Logos
Serie A has had different logos over the years. Many of them featured its sponsor, Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM). In 2018 and 2019, new logos were introduced. Recently, in February, Serie A signed a new sponsorship deal with Eni, also known as Enilive.
Watching Serie A on TV
In Italy, you can watch Serie A matches on Sky Italia (satellite TV) and DAZN (streaming). RAI is allowed to show highlights of the games. Since the 2010–11 season, all Serie A clubs sell their TV rights together. Before that, each club sold its own rights.
International Broadcasters
Serie A is popular around the world. In the 1990s, it was very popular in the United Kingdom. It has been shown on many different channels there over the years. In the United States, Serie A is currently shown on CBS Sports and its streaming service Paramount+.
Serie A games are broadcast in many countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and Europe. Some examples include:
- Africa: SuperSport
- Brazil: Paramount+
- Canada: fubo TV
- China: CCTV, IQIYI
- Japan: DAZN
- Australia: beIN Sports
- Germany: DAZN
- France: beIN Sports
- United Kingdom: TNT Sports
Serie A Champions
The Serie A league officially started in 1929–30. However, the league also recognizes clubs that won Italian championships before that time.
Here are the clubs with the most championships:
| Club | Championships | Runner-up finishes | Championship seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juventus | 36 | 21 | 1905, 1925–26, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1957–58, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1966–67, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20 |
| Inter Milan | 20 | 16 | 1909–10, 1919–20, 1929–30, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1970–71, 1979–80, 1988–89, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2020–21, 2023–24 |
| AC Milan | 19 | 17 | 1901, 1906, 1907, 1950–51, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1967–68, 1978–79, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2021–22 |
| Genoa | 9 | 4 | 1898, 1899, 1900, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1914–15, 1922–23, 1923–24 |
| Torino | 7 | 8 | 1927–28, 1942–43, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1975–76 |
| Bologna | 7 | 4 | 1924–25, 1928–29, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1940–41, 1963–64 |
| Pro Vercelli | 7 | 1 | 1908, 1909, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1920–21, 1921–22 (CCI) |
| Roma | 3 | 14 | 1941–42, 1982–83, 2000–01 |
| Napoli | 3 | 8 | 1986–87, 1989–90, 2022–23 |
| Lazio | 2 | 7 | 1973–74, 1999–2000 |
| Fiorentina | 2 | 5 | 1955–56, 1968–69 |
| Cagliari | 1 | 1 | 1969–70 |
| Casale | 1 | — | 1913–14 |
| Novese | 1 | — | 1921–22 (FIGC) |
| Hellas Verona | 1 | — | 1984–85 |
| Sampdoria | 1 | — | 1990–91 |
Bold indicates clubs which play in the 2023–24 Serie A.
Champions by City
| City | Championships | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Turin | 43 | Juventus (36), Torino (7) |
| Milan | 39 | Inter Milan (20), AC Milan (19) |
| Genoa | 10 | Genoa (9), Sampdoria (1) |
| Bologna | 7 | Bologna (7) |
| Vercelli | 7 | Pro Vercelli (7) |
| Rome | 5 | Roma (3), Lazio (2) |
| Naples | 3 | Napoli (3) |
| Florence | 2 | Fiorentina (2) |
| Cagliari | 1 | Cagliari (1) |
| Casale Monferrato | 1 | Casale (1) |
| Novi Ligure | 1 | Novese (1) |
| Verona | 1 | Hellas Verona (1) |
Serie A Records
Here are some interesting records from Serie A. Players in bold are still active in Serie A.
Most Appearances
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| Rank | Player | Club(s) | Years active | Games Played | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Gianluigi Buffon |
Parma, Juventus | 1995–2006, 2007–2018, 2019–2021 | 657 | 0 |
| 2 | Paolo Maldini |
AC Milan | 1984–2009 | 647 | 29 |
| 3 | Francesco Totti |
Roma | 1992–2017 | 619 | 250 |
| 4 |  Javier Zanetti |
Inter Milan | 1995–2014 | 615 | 12 |
| 5 | Gianluca Pagliuca |
Sampdoria, Inter Milan, Bologna, Ascoli | 1987–2005, 2006–2007 | 592 | 0 |
Most Goals Scored
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| Rank | Player | Club(s) | Years active | Goals | Games Played | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silvio Piola |
Pro Vercelli, Lazio, Juventus, Novara | 1929–1943, 1946–1947, 1948–1954 | 274 | 537 | 0.51 |
| 2 | Francesco Totti |
Roma | 1992–2017 | 250 | 619 | 0.40 |
| 3 |  Gunnar Nordahl |
AC Milan, Roma | 1949–1958 | 225 | 291 | 0.77 |
| 4 | Giuseppe Meazza |
Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus | 1929–1943, 1946–1947 | 216 | 367 | 0.59 |
 José Altafini |
AC Milan, Napoli, Juventus | 1958–1976 | 216 | 459 | 0.47 |
Famous Players
Serie A has been home to many of the world's best players. Some players have even won the FIFA World Player of the Year award while playing for a Serie A club.
FIFA World Players of the Year from Serie A
Lothar Matthäus: 1991 (Inter Milan)
Marco van Basten: 1992 (AC Milan)- Roberto Baggio: 1993 (Juventus)
George Weah: 1995 (AC Milan)- Ronaldo: 1997, 2002 (Inter Milan)
Zinedine Zidane: 1998, 2000 (Juventus)- Fabio Cannavaro: 2006 (Juventus)
- Kaká: 2007 (AC Milan)
Serie A Player of the Month
The Serie A Player of the Month award goes to the best player each month. Fans usually vote for their favorite from a list of nominees.
Here are some players who have won this award multiple times (as of 2024):
| Rank | Player | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paulo Dybala |
4 |
| 2 |  Khvicha Kvaratskhelia |
3 |
 Rafael Leão |
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| 4 |  Hakan Çalhanoğlu |
2 |
| Alejandro Gómez |
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 Ruslan Malinovskyi |
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 Sergej Milinković-Savić |
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 Victor Osimhen |
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| Cristiano Ronaldo |
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| Dušan Vlahović |
Images for kids
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The Serie A championship trophy
See also
- Campionato Nazionale Primavera
- Coppa Campioni d'Italia
- Italian football clubs in international competitions
- List of foreign Serie A players
- List of Italian football club owners
- Serie A Awards
- UEFA coefficient
