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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Sports Desk • Soccer

Serie B

Serie B is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system, below Serie A.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Serie B is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system, below Serie A. It is the main professional second tier of men’s football in Italy, operated by Lega B under the sponsored name Serie BKT.

What is Serie B?

Serie B began in 1929 and has been played for more than ninety seasons. It had a pilot form in 1922 and the modern single-division format was established after earlier multi-group seasons. The league normally features 20 clubs.

Competition format

The league is played by 20 clubs in Italy’s second tier. Teams compete for promotion to Serie A and face relegation to Serie C. Promotion and relegation places are determined by league standing and playoff or playout rules.

Administration and sponsorship

Serie B is organized by Lega B, which took over from Lega Calcio in 2010. The official sponsored name is Serie BKT. The league is also widely referred to as the cadet championship (campionato cadetto or cadetteria).

In short

  • Serie B is Italy’s second division in men’s professional football.
  • The league has operated under the name Serie B since 1929–30.
  • The top teams are promoted to Serie A, while the lowest teams are relegated to Serie C.
  • The league is commonly nicknamed campionato cadetto.
Canadian angle

Italian Serie B is of interest to Canadian readers through Canadian fans of European soccer, sports media coverage, and Canadian players who may compete in or transfer to Italian clubs.

Quick questions

What is Serie B?
Serie B is the second-highest division in the Italian men’s football league system.
When was Serie B founded?
The modern Serie B began in 1929, with the first season played in 1929–30.
How many teams play in Serie B?
Serie B currently features 20 clubs.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_B
    Supports: Second-highest division in Italy, founded in 1929, 20 clubs, Lega B, sponsorship name Serie BKT, promotion and relegation context.
  2. Wikipedia (Italian) — https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_B
    Supports: Official sponsored name Serie BKT, second professional division, Lega Serie B/LNPB, 20 teams, annual competition format.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lega_B
    Supports: Lega B as the organizer of Serie B and the 2010 split from Lega Calcio.