Italian Serie A: Format, Head-to-Head Tiebreaker, Promotion and Relegation Explained
What is Serie A?
The Serie A season consists of 20 clubs, which determines a 38-round schedule. Each participant plays two matches against each of 19 opponents. One match is played at their home stadium and one at the opponent's stadium. This modern format of a unified national league in Italy has been in effect since the 1929/30 season, although its history dates back to 1898.
Serie A is traditionally considered one of the most tactically complex championships. Historically, Italian football is associated with disciplined defense, compact lines, and the tradition of catenaccio. However, the modern league has long since evolved beyond a purely defensive model. Teams currently available for sports betting actively use pressing, hybrid formations, and other complex positional changes.
History: From 1898 to the Modern League
The first Italian national championship was held in 1898. These early tournaments differed greatly from today's Serie A. The 1929/30 season was a turning point, when the championship switched to a national round-robin format with a single table. From that point on, the structure became close to what can be seen in modern Serie A.
From the 1929/30 season onward, Juventus, Inter, and AC Milan went on to define different eras of dominance in Italian football. The main record holder, and a fan favorite among those involved in football betting, is Juventus with 36 titles and a streak of 9 consecutive championships (from 2011/12 to 2019/20). Inter Milan are next with 20 titles, including the 2025/26 championship, and AC Milan with 19.
How the Season Works — Head-to-Head Tiebreaker
The Serie A season runs from August to May. It consists of 38 rounds, with no full winter break. However, the main feature of the format is not the number of matches, but how tiebreakers are determined. The Italian system offers a unique tiebreaking system:
Head-to-head points;
Head-to-head goal difference;
Overall goal difference;
Total goals scored.
This is fundamentally different from the model described in the Premier League guide, where the primary criterion is overall goal difference. Serie A prioritizes the results of specific matches between opponents. This means that a team with a better overall goal difference can be ranked below a direct competitor if it has an inferior head-to-head record.
This Serie A tiebreaker rule is especially important in the final rounds. For example, in the 2025/26 season, a tied-points scenario was considered before the final matchday between Cremonese and Lecce. However, since Lecce finished on 38 points, no tiebreaker was required.
How Clubs Get Promoted to Serie A
Serie A promotion rules are based on the final standings of the second division of Italian football. The top two teams in Serie B are promoted directly. The third promotion spot is awarded through a separate playoff within Serie B. Therefore, clubs from the top division cannot retain their place through playoffs with a contender from below.
1st and 2nd places in Serie B - automatic promotion;
3rd–8th places - participation in the promotion playoff.
In the early stage of the Serie B promotion playoff, the third-place team plays the 8th, the 4th plays the 7th, and the 5th plays the 6th. The winners then advance to the semi-finals and final. If the aggregate score is tied, the team that finished higher advances. This allows a high position in the table to provide a real advantage. At some stages, a club only needs to avoid defeat on aggregate to advance.
In principle, this model is similar to the system described in the Spanish La Liga guide. However, if the aggregate score is tied, the Spanish clubs must first play 30 minutes of extra time. Only then, if the tie remains, will the higher position in the table decide.
How Relegation Works
Serie A relegation is structured without playoffs between the top and second divisions. The teams finishing in the bottom three places (18th, 19th, and 20th) are relegated from the top division to Serie B. Clubs are not offered an additional chance, unlike in the system described in the German Bundesliga guide. In the event of a tie on points, the same tiebreaking criteria are used, from head-to-head results to total goals scored.
It's worth noting that relegation from Serie B works slightly differently. The second division offers a separate playout between the teams finishing 16th and 17th. Thus, while it's theoretically possible to retain a place in Serie B, there's no such mechanism in the top division.
European Competition Spots
Italy retained the standard four-place quota for the 2026/27 season. This means it did not secure an additional EPS spot. Therefore, direct berths to the Champions League and other European competitions were distributed according to the following system:
1st-4th places - Champions League;
5th place - Europa League;
Coppa Italia winner - Europa League;
Conference League - if the cup berth is redistributed through the league standings.
If the Coppa Italia winner has already qualified for European competition through the league table, the place is passed on to the next Serie A club.
You can follow the battle for European places if you join VivatBet. The platform offers a dedicated statistics section, while the betting line allows you to assess the chances by comparing the odds (the lower the odds, the higher the implied probability of that outcome).
Record Champions and the 2025/26 Season
Juventus historically holds the record for the most titles in Serie A, with 36. They are followed by Inter Milan and AC Milan. The main competition at the top of Italian football has revolved around these three clubs. The 2025/26 season was also won by one of them, Inter, who sealed the title in early March and finished 13 points ahead of Napoli. The full list of the last five champions is presented below:
2025/26 - Inter Milan;
2024/25 - Napoli;
2023/24 - Inter Milan;
2022/23 - Napoli;
2021/22 -AC Milan.
This period is particularly interesting because Juventus did not win the league during these five seasons. This clearly illustrates the current balance of power, where the title has been shared only between Inter, Napoli, and AC Milan over the past five seasons. You can track whether the situation will change in 2026/27 using the sports betting mobile app. Statistics, live streams, and odds comparisons are already available.
