How many teams go to Serie A?

The 2023/24 Serie A season is on its way, and we’re already looking forward to it. So, who are the 20 teams making up the Italian top flight, how many titles have they won previously, and who are their most iconic appearance makers and goalscorers? Statistics via La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Serie A, Italy’s premier football league, is a highly competitive and prestigious competition that garners attention from football fans worldwide. As one of Europe’s top leagues, Serie A typically consists of 20 teams each season. These 20 teams battle it out over the course of a season, with the ultimate goal of securing the Scudetto, the league title.

Serie A operates on a promotion and relegation system with Serie B, Italy’s second-tier league. At the end of each season, the teams that finish at the bottom of the Serie A table are relegated to Serie B. Conversely, the top two teams from Serie B, along with the winner of the Serie B play-offs, earn promotion to Serie A for the following season. This system helps maintain the competitive balance and keeps the league fresh with new talent and challenges.

The 20 teams in Serie A play a round-robin format, facing each other twice during the season—once at home and once away. A win earns a team three points, a draw gives them one point, and a loss results in zero points. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned Serie A champion. In addition to the title race, teams also strive to secure a place in European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, depending on their league position.

The structure of Serie A has remained relatively consistent over the years, with the 20-team format being the norm since the 2004-2005 season. Prior to that, Serie A occasionally featured 18 or 21 teams in some seasons. However, the league settled on 20 teams to ensure a balanced schedule and maintain the high level of competition that has become synonymous with Serie A.

Each team in Serie A plays a crucial role in contributing to the league’s excitement, drama, and global appeal. With promotion and relegation at the heart of the Italian football pyramid, teams are constantly vying for their place in Serie A, making the competition fierce and ensuring that only the best clubs earn the privilege of participating in this prestigious league.