There are a total of 38 games in a Serie A season.
Teams face each other twice during the campaign – once at home and once away. After every side has played all 38 of their league fixtures then the club with the most points at the end of the season becomes league champion.
Has The Number Of Games Ever Changed In The Past?
Yes, the number of games in a Serie A season has changed in the past.
The seeds of Serie A were technically founded in 1898. Yet until 1922, Italian football was structured in a knockout competition amongst regional groups, rather than the round-robin league system in place today.
Developing through to 1929, Serie A was fully formed with each team playing 34 games during a season, facing each other twice – home and away.
The number of teams in the league has seen several changes. The table below shows fluctuation in the amount of clubs playing in Serie A across its near-century-long history.
1929–1934 18 clubs
1934–1943 16 clubs
1946–1947 20 clubs
1947–1948 21 clubs
1948–1952 20 clubs
1952–1967 18 clubs
1967–1988 16 clubs
1988–2004 18 clubs
2004–present 20 clubs
Currently, 20 teams compete in the Italian top flight.
It is not uncommon for Serie A teams to play two matches per week. This typically occurs when a game is postponed due to weather issues or when a team is taking part in both a Serie A game and domestic cup competition – the Coppa Italia.
Have Any Teams Failed To Play A Game?
Unforeseen circumstances have sometimes caused Serie A teams to forfeit games.
For example, during the 2019/20 season, Napoli forfeited a game against Juventus after two of their players contracted Coronavirus.
Despite the league insisting that safety protocols were in place, Napoli stated that they could not travel to face the Turin club and were initially found to be at fault.
However, Napoli appealed and found the decision to penalise them overturned – thus avoiding punishment in terms of points or fines.
Typically, in most cases, the team unable to play is judged to have lost the game 3-0 with the opposing team is awarded three points.
How Does The Serie A Season Work?
The Serie A is made up of 20 teams in total. A season consists of a home and an away fixture against every other team.
League champions are confirmed at the end of a campaign based on their points total. If two or more teams are tied on equal points, the deciding tie-breakers in Serie A are as follows:
Head-to-head points
Head-to-head goal difference
Goal difference
Higher number of goals scored
Playoff at a neutral venue if relevant for deciding champion, relegation or participating in a European league.
Teams finishing in second, third and fourth gain qualification into the Champions League with the side ending up in fifth place entering the UEFA Europa League. The club in sixth position qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League.
At the end of each season, the bottom three Serie A teams are relegated to Serie B with three teams earning promotion.
What Is The Maximum Amount Of Points You Can Achieve In A Serie A Season?
The maximum number of points a team can achieve during a Serie A season is 114.
This can be done if a team were to win all 38 league games because each triumph is worth a total of three points.
A maximum points tally has never happened in the history of the competition and is considered near impossible because a team would need to win every game in a Serie A season.
The team with the most points in a single Serie A season is Juventus, who earned 102 points across the 2013/14 campaign.
When Does the Serie A Season Start?
The Serie A season typically starts in mid to late August and runs until late May of the following year. The campaign’s start date can vary from year to year, but it usually begins around the third week of August.
Between each campaign is the ‘off-season’ in which players do not typically play competitive league games but are able to take part in international tournaments as required like the European Championship or World Cup.
How Many Points For A Draw In Serie A Football?
In most professional football leagues, including the Serie A, a draw or tie is worth one point.
If a match ends in a draw, then each team is awarded one point. The team who wins a game is awarded three points with the losing side gaining no points.
