- The history of Serie A begins in 1898
- The history of Serie A changes in 1929
- Grande Torino and the Superga tragedy
- The history of Serie A after the war
- The golden years of the 1980s and 1990s
- Calciopoli and the Juventus nine in a row
- The history of Serie A in the modern era
- Records in the history of Serie A
- The great derbies
- Frequently asked questions
- When did Serie A start?
- Which club has won the most Serie A titles?
- Who is the all-time top scorer in Serie A?
- What is the scudetto?
- How many teams play in Serie A?
- Conclusion
The history of Serie A is the story of Italian football itself, from a one-day knockout tournament in 1898 to the top league in Italy. This guide explains how the league began, how it changed in 1929, which clubs have won it most often, and which records still stand. For the latest results and fixtures, visit our free live scores page.
Last updated: November 2026
Quick Answer
- Serie A began in the 1929-30 season, but the Italian championship dates back to 1898.
- Juventus lead the all-time table with 36 titles, ahead of Inter Milan on 21 and AC Milan on 19.
- Inter Milan are the only club to have played in all 95 Serie A seasons.
- The league has 20 teams, each playing 38 matches, with the bottom three relegated to Serie B.
The history of Serie A begins in 1898
In fact, the Italian Football Championship began in 1898 as the Campionato Italiano di Football. In that first year, the whole championship was a single-day knockout competition, and Genoa won it. As a result, Genoa hold a special place as the first champions of all.
In the early years, the championship was small and regional, and most clubs came from the north of Italy. Over time, however, more clubs joined, and the competition grew into a national event. Genoa dominated the early championship and won nine titles in total, while Pro Vercelli became the next great force with seven titles.
The 1921-22 season had two champions after a split in Italian football: Novese won one version and Pro Vercelli the other. In addition, Casale won one title, and no national title was awarded in 1926-27. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) officially recognises the 29 championships played from 1898 to 1929 as equal to later Serie A titles, In short, the history of Serie A stretches back to 1898, not just to 1929.
The history of Serie A changes in 1929
In the 1929-30 season, the championship changed into a national round-robin format and took the name Serie A, alongside Serie B. This was the biggest change in the history of the competition, because every club played every other club home and away. Internazionale, then called Ambrosiana, won the first Serie A season (1929-30).
Meanwhile, Juventus became the dominant force of the 1930s and won five league titles in a row from 1930-31 to 1934-35, a record that stood for decades. Today, 20 teams take part, and each team plays 38 matches. In addition, the bottom three teams go down to Serie B at the end of the season, and three teams come up to replace them. Three points go to the winner of a match, a rule in place since the 1994-95 season; before that, a win earned two points.
Grande Torino and the Superga tragedy
Grande Torino, as the team was known, won five titles: 1942-43, then 1945-46, 1946-47, 1947-48 and 1948-49.
However, on 4 May 1949, the team died in the Superga air disaster. In the end, the plane carrying the players home from a friendly match in Lisbon crashed into the hill of Superga near Turin, and all 31 people on board were killed. Torino have won seven titles in total, but they have never won the league since that terrible day.
The history of Serie A after the war
After the Second World War, Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan became the three great powers of Italian football, and the title moved between them for most of the next half century.
As a result, the champions of Italy wear the scudetto on their shirts the following season. The scudetto is a small shield in the colours of the Italian flag, and it marks the team out as the champions. In addition, clubs earn a star on their shirt for every 10 league titles they win. Juventus have three stars, Inter Milan have two (since 2023-24), and AC Milan have one.
The golden years of the 1980s and 1990s
Afterwards, the title spread to new clubs in the 1980s and 1990s. Napoli won four titles in total, and AS Roma won three. In addition, Fiorentina won two titles, Lazio won two, and Hellas Verona, Sampdoria and Cagliari each won one. Bologna also won seven titles in total.
In total, 68 teams have taken part in Serie A over the years.
Calciopoli and the Juventus nine in a row
In 2006, the Calciopoli scandal shook Italian football. The league sent Juventus down to Serie B as punishment, revoked the 2004-05 title, and awarded the 2005-06 title to Inter Milan. No champion was named for 2004-05.
Nevertheless, Juventus returned to Serie A after one season away. Because of the relegation, they have played 94 Serie A seasons, one fewer than Inter Milan. Inter Milan, by contrast, are the only club to have played in every Serie A season: 95 seasons in total.
Juventus then built a new dynasty and won nine league titles in a row from 2011-12 to 2019-20, the longest winning run in the history of the league. In doing so, they broke their own record of five in a row from the 1930s.
The history of Serie A in the modern era
Meanwhile, the modern era has brought more variety at the top of the table. Since the end of the Juventus nine-in-a-row run, four different clubs have won the title in seven seasons. For readers who follow the other great European leagues, our History of the Premier League and History of La Liga guides tell the same story for England and Spain.
The recent champions are:
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Inter Milan (21st title) |
| 2024-25 | Napoli (4th title) |
| 2023-24 | Inter Milan |
| 2022-23 | Napoli |
| 2021-22 | AC Milan |
| 2020-21 | Inter Milan |
| 2019-20 | Juventus |
Overall, Inter Milan won the 2025-26 title, their 21st championship, and Napoli won the 2024-25 title, their fourth. As of November 2026, the 2026-27 season is under way. For match tips and previews, visit our free football predictions page.
Records in the history of Serie A
Overall, the all-time top scorer in Serie A is Silvio Piola, with 274 goals. Piola played from 1929 to 1954 for Pro Vercelli, Lazio, Juventus and Novara, yet he never won the league title. In second place is Francesco Totti, with 250 goals, all of them for AS Roma. In third place is Gunnar Nordahl, with 225 goals. The season’s top scorer earns the Capocannoniere title, a prize that every striker in Italy wants to win.
The all-time title table shows how the championship has been shared:
| Club | Titles |
|---|---|
| Juventus | 36 |
| Inter Milan | 21 |
| AC Milan | 19 |
| Genoa | 9 |
| Torino | 7 |
| Bologna | 7 |
| Pro Vercelli | 7 |
| Napoli | 4 |
| AS Roma | 3 |
| Fiorentina | 2 |
| Lazio | 2 |
| Hellas Verona | 1 |
| Sampdoria | 1 |
| Cagliari | 1 |
| Casale | 1 |
| Novese | 1 |
In short, Juventus lead the table by a wide margin, with 15 more titles than Inter Milan. In addition, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan have won 76 titles between them. Yet the table also carries the early champions, such as Genoa and Pro Vercelli, and the one-time winners, such as Verona and Cagliari.
The great derbies
Three derbies stand out in the history of Serie A. For example, the Derby della Madonnina is the Milan derby, played between AC Milan and Inter Milan, both from the same city.
In addition, the Derby d’Italia is the match between Juventus and Inter Milan, the two most successful clubs in the country. It is a rivalry built on titles, not geography, because Turin and Milan are in different regions. Finally, the Rome derby is played between AS Roma and Lazio, the two clubs of the capital city. For more Italian football coverage, visit our Sports News section.
Frequently asked questions
When did Serie A start?
In fact, the history of Serie A in its modern form begins in the 1929-30 season, when the championship became a national round-robin league. However, the Italian championship itself began in 1898, and the FIGC recognises those early titles as equal to later ones.
Which club has won the most Serie A titles?
In total, Juventus have won the most Italian championships, with 36 titles. In addition, Inter Milan are second with 21 titles, and AC Milan are third with 19 titles.
Who is the all-time top scorer in Serie A?
In fact, Silvio Piola is the all-time top scorer in Serie A, with 274 goals. He played from 1929 to 1954 for Pro Vercelli, Lazio, Juventus and Novara. In addition, Francesco Totti is second with 250 goals, all for AS Roma.
What is the scudetto?
In fact, the scudetto is a small shield in the colours of the Italian flag that the champions wear on their shirts the following season. In addition, clubs earn a star on their shirt for every 10 league titles: Juventus have three stars, Inter Milan two and AC Milan one.
How many teams play in Serie A?
In total, there are 20 teams in Serie A, and each team plays 38 matches. In addition, the bottom three teams are relegated to Serie B, and three points are awarded for a win.
Conclusion
Overall, the history of Serie A runs from a one-day tournament in Genoa in 1898 to a 20-team league watched around the world. Juventus have won it more often than any other club, Inter Milan have never missed a season, and the title table still carries the names of early champions such as Genoa and Pro Vercelli.
