Serie A, Italy's top professional football league, is known for its tactical and defensive prowess. It's considered one of the world's best leagues, ranking high in global rankings by organizations like IFFHS and UEFA. The league, established in 1929, crowns its champion with the Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy and the scudetto, a badge worn on the winning team's jersey the following season.
1909: Inter Milan makes Serie A debut
Inter Milan made their inaugural appearance in the top flight of Italian football in 1909, commencing a long and illustrious journey in Serie A.
1921: FIGC splits CCI and establishes Lega Nord
In 1921, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) took the step of splitting the Italian Football Confederation (CCI). This led to the founding of the Lega Nord (Northern Football League) in Milan, which would eventually evolve into the Lega Serie A.
1922: Interregional Competition Introduced
Following a period of regional competitions, interregional competition was introduced in Italian football, leading to the eventual establishment of the Serie A league format in 1929.
1922: Regional groups format ends
The era of organizing Serie A competitions into regional groups concluded in 1922.
1923: Introduction of the scudetto
The 1923–24 season saw the introduction of the scudetto ("small shield"), a distinctive emblem awarded to the Serie A champions. Winning teams would proudly display a small coat of arms featuring the Italian tricolour on their jerseys in the following season.
1926: FIGC restructures, paving the way for a national division
Facing internal challenges and pressure from the fascist regime, the FIGC implemented internal reforms in 1926. These changes included the integration of southern teams into the national division, ultimately setting the stage for the definitive structure established in the 1929–30 season.
1929: Serie A shifts to a single-tier league
Serie A underwent a transformation in the 1929–30 season, transitioning from regional and interregional rounds to a single-tier league format.
1929: Serie A Formation and Recognition of Past Champions
While Serie A was established in the 1929-30 season, the league acknowledges and honors the clubs that were crowned Italian champions before its official formation.
1929: Start of Single Round Serie A Championship
The 1929-30 season marked the beginning of the Serie A championship played in a single round format, which continued until the 2023-24 season.
1929: Serie A Adopts League Format
Prior to 1929, the top level of Italian football was contested in a regional and interregional format. Starting from the 1929-30 season, Serie A adopted a single league format.
1929: Current structure of Serie A is established
In the 1929–30 season, the present-day structure of Serie A took shape.
1929: Serie A adopts round-robin format
In 1929, Serie A transitioned to a round-robin tournament format, marking a significant change in its structure.
1943: End of Direttorio Divisioni Superiori organization
In 1943, the organization of Serie A by the Direttorio Divisioni Superiori came to an end.
1945: World War II disrupts Serie A
Due to the impact of World War II, the traditional round-robin format of Serie A was suspended for the 1945–46 season. The league was instead played over two geographical groups.
1947: Serie A Temporarily Expands to 21 Clubs
Due to political reasons related to post-war tensions with Yugoslavia, Serie A temporarily expanded to 21 clubs for the 1947-48 season.
1960: Official use of the Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy begins
The Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy was officially adopted as the award for the Serie A champions in the 1960–61 season.
1961: Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy consigned to winning clubs at Lega Nazionale Professionisti head office
Between 1961 and 2004, the Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy was not presented on the pitch. Instead, it was consigned to the winning Serie A clubs at the headquarters of the Lega Nazionale Professionisti.
1963: Playoff Decides Scudetto Winner
In the 1963-64 season, Bologna and Inter Milan finished with the same number of points, leading to a playoff game to determine the Scudetto winner. Bologna won the playoff 2-0.
1985: Juventus wins the Intercontinental Cup
Juventus triumphed in the 1985 Intercontinental Cup, further solidifying their status as a global football powerhouse.
1986: Serie A tops UEFA ranking
Serie A ascended to the top of the UEFA league ranking in 1986.
1988: Serie A's reign at the top of UEFA ranking ends
Serie A's period of dominance atop the UEFA ranking concluded in 1988.
1990: Serie A returns to the summit of UEFA ranking
Serie A reclaimed its position at the pinnacle of the UEFA ranking in 1990.
1990: Serie A Debut on BSB's The Sports Channel
Serie A made its first appearance on UK television in 1990, airing on BSB's The Sports Channel.
1991: Serie A Moves to Sky Sports
In 1991, Serie A's UK broadcast rights shifted from BSB's The Sports Channel to Sky Sports.
1992: Serie A Finds a Home on Channel 4
Serie A's broadcasting in the UK moved to Channel 4 in 1992, where it remained for a decade.
1994: Three Points for a Win System Implemented
Starting from the 1994-95 season, Serie A implemented the three points for a win system, replacing the previous system where teams received two points for a win.
1995: Player Eligibility Based on Birth Year
Players born in or after 1995 were considered eligible as under-21 players for the 2016-17 season.
1998: Collective Television Rights Negotiation Abandoned
At the end of the 1998-99 season, Serie A clubs decided to abandon collective negotiation of television rights, allowing individual clubs to sell their broadcast rights to different channels.
1999: Playoff Used for European Competition Qualification
In the 1999-2000 season, playoffs were used to determine qualification for European competitions.
1999: Serie A's second stint at the top of UEFA ranking concludes
Serie A's second era of supremacy in the UEFA ranking concluded in 1999.
2000: Mid-Season Rule Change: Non-EU Player Quota Abolished
During the 2000-01 season, Serie A abolished the quota system, which had limited teams to five non-EU players and allowed only three on the field at a time.
2000: Playoff Used for European Competition Qualification
In the 1999-2000 season, playoffs were used to determine qualification for European competitions.
2000: Formation of the G-14
The G-14, an association comprising the largest and most prestigious European football clubs, was established in 2000. Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan from Serie A were among its founding members.
July 2001: Abolishment of Non-EU Player Quota and Passport Scandal
In July 2001, Serie A abolished the quota system that restricted the number of non-EU players on each team. Simultaneously, the FIGC investigated the use of fake passports by several footballers, resulting in bans for players from various clubs.
2002: Serie A Broadcast Rights Shift
In 2002, Serie A's broadcast rights in the UK moved away from Channel 4, marking a period of frequent changes in broadcasting partners.
2002: Restriction on Non-EU Player Signings
In the 2002-03 season, Serie A and Serie B clubs faced a restriction, allowing them to sign only one non-EU player during the summer transfer window.
2002: High Number of Non-EU Players in Serie A
In the 2002-03 season, Serie A had a total of 265 non-EU players across its clubs.
2003: New Non-EU Player Quota Introduced
At the start of the 2003-04 season, Serie A implemented a new quota system, limiting the number of non-EU, non-EFTA, and non-Swiss players that clubs could sign from abroad each season. This followed provisional measures introduced in the 2002-03 season.
August 2004: Minor Adjustments to Non-EU Player Quota
In August 2004, Serie A made minor modifications to the existing rules governing the number of non-EU players allowed in clubs.
2004: Serie A Broadcasting Diversifies in UK
In 2004, Serie A broadcasting in the UK expanded to include Eurosport, Setanta Sports, and Bravo.
2004: Serie A Expands to 20 Clubs
In 2004, Serie A expanded to include 20 clubs, a format that has remained in place for subsequent seasons.
2004: Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy awarded on the pitch
Starting from the 2004–05 season, a tangible trophy, known as the Coppa Campioni d'Italia, was presented to the Serie A winning club directly on the field after the final matchday.
2004: EU Expansion Impacts Non-EU Player Quota
The expansion of the European Union in 2004 resulted in some players, who were previously considered non-EU, gaining EU status. This impacted the non-EU player quota in Serie A.
June 2005: Further Tweaks to Non-EU Player Quota
June 2005 saw additional slight changes implemented to the regulations concerning non-EU player quotas in Serie A.
2005: Playoffs Abolished for Scudetto and European Qualification
Prior to the 2005-06 season, Serie A used playoffs to determine the winner in cases of ties for the first place or European qualification spots. Playoffs were abolished starting from the 2005-06 season.
2005: Quota Borrowing in Serie A
Large clubs in Serie A with many foreign players often borrowed quotas from other clubs that had few or no foreign players to sign additional non-EU players. An example of this was Adrian Mutu's transfer to Juventus via Livorno in 2005, as Romania was not an EU member at the time. Other cases included Júlio César, Victor Obinna, and Maxwell, who joined Inter from Chievo and Empoli respectively.
June 2006: Continuing Refinements to Non-EU Player Quota
Serie A continued to fine-tune the quota system for non-EU players with further adjustments made in June 2006.
2006: Significant Reduction in Non-EU Players
By the 2006-07 season, the number of non-EU players in Serie A had significantly decreased to 166. This reduction was influenced by the EU expansion in 2004 and 2007, which granted EU status to players from new member countries.
2006: Tiebreakers Introduced for Scudetto and European Qualification
Starting from the 2006-07 season, Serie A implemented tiebreakers to decide the winner of the Scudetto and European qualification spots if needed.
June 2007: Final Adjustments to Non-EU Player Quota
The final set of modifications to the quota system for non-EU players in Serie A was implemented in June 2007.
2007: Channel 5 Acquires Serie A Rights
Serie A's UK broadcast rights were picked up by Channel 5 in 2007 after its run on other channels.
2007: Second EU Expansion Further Reduces Non-EU Players
The 2007 expansion of the European Union brought about another wave of players receiving EU status. This led to a further decrease in the number of non-EU players in Serie A.
2008: End of Serie A on Channel 5
2008 marked the end of Serie A's broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK.
2008: Restructuring of Non-EU Player Quota System
At the beginning of the 2008-09 season, Serie A restructured its quota system for non-EU players. Clubs without non-EU players were granted three quotas, while clubs with one or two non-EU players received two or one quota, respectively. Conditional quotas were also introduced, which could be awarded based on the transfer or release of non-EU players or if a player obtained EU nationality. Serie B and Lega Pro clubs were generally prohibited from signing non-EU players from abroad, except for players joining clubs promoted from Serie D.
2008: Dissolution of the G-14
The G-14, an elite group of European football clubs, ceased to exist in 2008.
April 2009: Serie A separates from Serie B
In April 2009, Serie A declared its separation from Serie B following a vote by the clubs. The split was primarily driven by disputes over television rights, with nineteen out of twenty clubs supporting the move. Lecce, a team facing the threat of relegation, opposed the decision. Maurizio Beretta, the former leader of Italy's employers' association, assumed the presidency of the newly formed league.
2009: Inter Milan achieves historic treble
Inter Milan etched their name in Italian football history during the 2009–10 season by becoming the first Italian team to secure a seasonal treble, winning Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Champions League.
2009: ESPN Takes Over Serie A Broadcasting
ESPN acquired the rights to broadcast Serie A in the UK starting in 2009.
July 2010: Revision of Conditional Quota for Non-EU Players
On July 2, 2010, Serie A revised the conditional quota system, reducing it to one quota per club. However, teams without any non-EU players could still sign up to three non-EU players.
2010: Serie A Introduces Logo Featuring TIM Sponsorship
In 2010, Serie A introduced a logo that prominently featured its sponsor, Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM).
2010: Lega Serie A takes over organization
In 2010, the Lega Serie A assumed responsibility for organizing Serie A.
2010: Collective Television Rights Negotiation Reinstated
Serie A clubs resumed collective negotiation of television rights from the 2010-11 season onward, a practice that had been abandoned after the 1998-99 season.
2011: Signing Quota Reverts to Two
In 2011, the signing quota for non-EU players in Serie A reverted to two.
2013: Serie A Broadcasting Split Between ESPN and BT Sport
Serie A broadcasting in the UK was split in 2013, with ESPN and BT Sport sharing the rights.
2015: Homegrown Player Rule Introduced, Squad Cap Imposed
Serie A introduced a Homegrown Player Rule in the 2015-16 season, adapting UEFA's model. While initially not capping the squad size, Serie A later imposed a 25-player cap (excluding under-21 players).
2015: Announcement of Player Quota for 2015-16 Season
Serie A unveiled its specific player quota system for the 2015-16 season.
April 2016: Serie A Selected to Test Video Replays
In April 2016, Serie A was chosen by the International Football Association Board to test video replays. Initially private for the 2016-17 season, the replays allowed for a live pilot phase, leading to the implementation of replay assistance in the 2017-18 season.
2016: Minor Change to Serie A Logo
In 2016, the Serie A logo underwent a minor change to reflect the updated logo of its sponsor, TIM.
2016: Sassuolo Sanctioned for Ineligible Player
In the 2016-17 season, the FIGC penalized Sassuolo for fielding an ineligible player, Antonino Ragusa. Although Sassuolo stayed within the allowed limit of 21 players not from their youth academy, and under 21 years old, the squad list on Lega Serie A's end wasn't updated, resulting in the sanction.
2017: Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Implemented in Serie A
In 2017, after a trial period, Serie A implemented the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system to assist referees in making decisions during matches.
2017: FourFourTwo names 42 Serie A players among the 100 greatest footballers
In 2017, the football magazine FourFourTwo published its list of the 100 greatest footballers in history, and an impressive 42 players who had graced Serie A were included. This highlighted the league's rich history and the exceptional talent it has showcased.
August 2018: New Serie A Logo Introduced
In August 2018, Serie A unveiled a new logo, marking a change in its visual identity.
2018: Eleven Sports Network Briefly Broadcasts Serie A
Eleven Sports Network briefly held the UK broadcast rights to Serie A in 2018.
August 2019: Another New Serie A Logo Introduced
Serie A introduced another new logo in August 2019, further evolving its branding.
2019: Premier and FreeSports Broadcast Serie A
In 2019, Serie A's UK broadcasting was handled by Premier and FreeSports.
2020: Serie A ranked world's strongest league by IFFHS
In 2020, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) recognized Serie A as the world's strongest national league.
2021: Tiebreakers Extended to All Places
In the 2021-22 season, the tiebreaker system was extended to apply to all positions in the Serie A table, including relegation spots.
2021: Serie A Moves to CBS Sports and Paramount+ in US
In 2021, Serie A began broadcasting in the United States on CBS Sports and its streaming platform, Paramount+, after previously being on ESPN.
2021: Asymmetrical Calendar Introduced in Serie A
Following the model of the English, Spanish, and French leagues, Serie A adopted an asymmetrical calendar in the 2021-22 season, changing the traditional format where the two halves of the season had the same order of fixtures.
2021: New Television Rights Agreements in Italy
Beginning with the 2021-22 season, new television rights agreements were implemented in Italy for Serie A broadcasts, with Sky Italia and DAZN becoming the primary broadcasters.
2021: BT Sport Regains Exclusive Serie A Rights
BT Sport regained exclusive rights to broadcast Serie A in the UK in 2021.
2022: Serie A Ranked Fourth by UEFA Coefficient
As of 2022, UEFA ranked Serie A as the fourth-best league based on its coefficient system. This ranking determines the allocation of Champions League and Europa League spots for Italian clubs.
2022: Playoff Used for Relegation
In the 2022-23 season, a playoff game was used to determine relegation from Serie A.
2022: First Europa Conference League final
The inaugural final of the Europa Conference League took place in 2022, marking a new chapter in European club football.
2023: 92 Serie A Championships Played
By the 2023-24 season, a total of 92 Serie A championships had been played.
2023: 20 Clubs Compete in Serie A
In the 2023-24 season, a total of 20 clubs competed in Serie A.
2023: Start of the 2023-24 Serie A Season
The 2023-24 Serie A season commenced, marking a new chapter in the league's history.
February 2024: Serie A Remains a 20-Club League
In February 2024, a vote by sixteen Serie A clubs determined that the league would continue with its existing format of 20 teams, rejecting a proposal to reduce the number of clubs to 18.