To start this guide with all about Serie A, it’s essential that you know that the tournament was voted the strongest domestic league in the world in 2020 according to IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics) and is ranked third among European leagues, according to UEFA’s league coefficient, behind La Liga, the Spanish league, and the Premier League, the English league.
However, for years, especially during the 1990s, Serie A topped this UEFA ranking.
One of the big reasons for this power is its history and tradition, with clubs such as Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and Napoli, which have had stars such as Kaká, Adriano Imperador, Cristiano Ronaldo and Maradona in their squads, respectively.
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All about Serie A: what is the Italian league?
Serie A is the top division of professional soccer in Italy. It is considered one of the most prestigious leagues in the world, known for bringing together great teams and the world’s most important players. The league is home to some of the most historic and successful clubs in European soccer.
Over the years, other leagues, especially Spain’s, have risen to prominence, but Serie A’s position among the best in the world remains the same and its teams continue to boast some of the most expensive squads in Europe.
History of Serie A
Following our guide to all things Serie A, let’s delve a little deeper into its history, which begins in 1898. However, it’s important to note that the modern league format with a single group began in 1929. Also in this article, we talk about how Serie A works.
Some dates are important milestones in the history of Serie A:
- 1929: Establishment of the single league format.
- 1949-50: First season after the Second World War.
- 1990s: Golden age of international players and increased global prestige.
- 2006: Calciopoli scandal, which involved match-fixing and shook the league, resulting in the relegation of Juventus and penalties for other clubs, as well as the reformulation of financial fair play rules.
An article that sets out to talk all about Serie A cannot fail to devote a few lines to the scandal that came to light in May 2006, after investigations by the Italian police revealed telephone conversations between club executives, referees and officials from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
These conversations indicated that some clubs, mainly Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina, were involved in a scheme to select favorable referees for their matches, thus manipulating the results of the games.
In addition to the penalties for the clubs involved, Calciopoli had a profound impact on Italian soccer, which had its reputation shaken, even internationally.
The scandal also led to the loss of sponsors and broadcasting revenue, financially affecting the clubs involved and the league as a whole.
There was a complete overhaul of the refereeing system and the management of the FIGC, with measures to ensure greater transparency and independence.
Despite the devastating impact of Calciopoli, Italian soccer survived and returned to growth.
Juventus, in particular, managed to recover quickly, returning to Serie A in the 2007-08 season and re-establishing themselves as a powerhouse in Italian and European soccer.
The scandal also served as a catalyst for positive change, promoting greater integrity and transparency in sport.
How does the Serie A Italian league work?
The Italian leagues are divided and organized into 9 levels: 3 professional and 6 amateur (non-professional).
The three professional leagues in Italian soccer are:
- A Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A, que organiza o campeonato principal, conhecida como a Serie A;
- a Lega Nazionale Professionisti B, que organiza a Serie B;
- a Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico, que se ocupa do campeonato da Serie C
Outside of this professional circuit, the amateur leagues are organized by the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti (National Amateur League), whose most important championship is Serie D, which represents the fourth level of Italian soccer and serves as a gateway to the professional leagues.
Italian Serie A rules
Serie A follows the standard rules of world soccer, but with some specific regulations:
- Number of teams: 20 teams.
- Competition format: straight points. Each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 38 matches.
- Relegation and promotion: the three worst-performing teams are relegated to Serie B.
Similar to the Campeonato Brasileiro, teams in the lower series, such as B and C, can be promoted to the top division every year. In the case of Italy, only the top three teams in Serie B are promoted to Serie A (in Brazil, promotion happens for four teams in Serie B).
Scoring follows the official FIFA criteria and rules, in which a win is worth 3 points, a draw 1 point and a defeat 0 points.
Play-off criteria
If two or more teams are level on points, the Serie A play-off criteria are as follows:
- Head-to-head (results and points)
- Goal difference in head-to-head
- Overall goal difference
- Most goals scored
- Tie-breaker
How does qualification for international tournaments work in Serie A?
This is one of the most sought-after topics for those who want to know all about Serie A in the Italian league, after all, it involves many other important competitions in Europe.
Generally speaking, the four best-placed teams in Serie A, i.e. those with the most points at the end of the season, qualify directly for the UEFA Champions League.
The fifth-placed team, meanwhile, qualifies for the UEFA Europa League with the winner of the Coppa Italia, the country’s other domestic tournament.
Finally, the sixth or seventh best-placed club joins the qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.
Serie A Curiosities: all about Serie A
What are the prizes in Serie A?
The Serie A prize pool is very attractive, both in terms of trophies and financial rewards. The champion receives the “Scudetto” trophy and the team also gains direct access to the UEFA Champions League group stage. The distribution of financial prizes varies according to the final standings, broadcasting rights and other commercial factors.
Serie A’s greatest champions
The all-time Serie A champions are:
- Juventus: The most successful club with 36 Serie A titles.
- Inter Milan: won the league 20 times.
- AC Milan: with 19 titles.
- Genoa: who have won 9 titles, most of them at the beginning of the 20th century.
If you’re a fan of international soccer, now you have a complete guide to Serie A, one of the most fascinating leagues in the world!
Enjoy the matches and cheer on your favorite teams!
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