Italian Serie A

Full Name: Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A
Founded: 1929 (1898)
Tier: 1
Number of Teams: 20

Description:

The top tier of Italian football is known as Serie A. A league system did not start until 1929. Until that time there were annual cup competitions which evolved into regional leagues culminating in a national championship playoff. The official name of the league includes the title sponsor TIM, an Italian mobile phone company.

From the 2010-2011 season Serie A is an independent body, separate from Serie B. They two divisions had previously been joined together in the Lega Calcio. The result, you may not be surprised to learn, is that the Serie A clubs keep a much greater share of their TV and other revenue.

The league title in Serie A is often referred to as winning the scudetto. The reason for this is that the league champion earns the right to wear a small shield (a scudetto) on their jerseys the following season.

Italian Serie A Map:

League Format:

• The Italian Serie A season begins in late August or early September and ends in May or early June with a very short winter break.
• The 20 teams play each other twice (home and away) for a total of 38 matches.
• 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
• Final league position is based on the total number of points earned over the full season.
• The team with the most points is considered the league champion.
• The bottom three are relegated to the second-tier Serie B.

Total Italian Championship Titles:

Includes national championship (1898-1929) and Serie A (1929-2010).

27 Juventus

18 Inter Milan

18 Milan

9   Genoa

7   Bologna

7   Pro Vercelli

7   Torino FC

3   Roma

2   Fiorentina

2   Lazio

2   Napoli

1   Cagliari

1   Casale

1   Novese

1   Sampdoria

1   Verona

Previous Logos:

Links:

• Official Website: legaseriea.it
• Italian League tickets - Find tickets for all matches of Italian League Serie A and others domestic tournaments as Coppa Italia TIM and Italian Super Cup.