Lega Pro facts for kids
|
Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico
|
|
 |
|
| Abbreviation | LICP |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Lega IV Serie |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Headquarters | Florence |
|
Region served
|
Italy |
| Products | Serie C Coppa Italia Serie C Campionato Primavera 3 |
|
Membership
|
60 clubs |
|
President
|
Matteo Marani |
|
Parent organization
|
FIGC |
| Website | LegaPro.com |
The Lega Pro is an important organization in Italian football. Its full name is the Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico, which means 'Italian Professional Football League'. This group manages the third level of professional football games in Italy. This top competition is called the Serie C. Lega Pro has had different names over the years. It is also a member of the European Leagues, which connects many football leagues across Europe.
How Lega Pro Started
The Lega Pro was created in 1959. It was first called the Lega Nazionale Semiprofessionisti. This happened because of Bruno Zauli, who was a commissioner for the FIGC (the Italian Football Federation). The new league was built on an older one called Lega IV Serie.
Early Years and Growth
When it first started, the league managed many football teams. It had three groups for Serie C and six groups for Serie D. There were 162 clubs in total. This league was a middle ground between fully professional and amateur teams. Some clubs that used to be in Serie C were not happy. They had lost their membership in a higher league called Lega Calcio. These clubs worked for 20 years to become fully professional again.
Becoming Fully Professional
In 1967, the league grew even bigger. It was led by Artemio Franchi and had 222 clubs. A big change happened in 1978. The Serie D was removed. The Serie C was then split into two completely professional championships. These were called the Serie C1 and the Serie C2. There were 108 clubs in these two new leagues, divided into six groups.
The league also got a new name: Lega Nazionale Serie C. At this point, it became a fully professional organization.
Recent Changes
After the year 2000, the Serie C2 league became smaller. It was later removed completely in 2014. This change made way for a single Serie C league, which is now organized into three groups.
