Inter Milan begin 2026/27 as defending champions after collecting their 21st Scudetto and completing a domestic double with the Coppa Italia. The new campaign starts over the weekend of 22–23 August after a summer extended by the World Cup. Nine clubs have changed manager; Venezia, Frosinone and Monza are back from Serie B, and Como are preparing for their very first Champions League campaign.

That combination gives the season an unusual balance. Inter offer continuity at the top, several established challengers are starting again under new coaches, and the promoted sides arrive with very different survival prospects. The final 2025/26 standings provide the clearest starting point for assessing the title and relegation markets.

Serie A 2025/26 Season Recap

Inter controlled the title race and finished with 87 points, 11 more than second-placed Napoli. Cristian Chivu’s side won 27 of 38 matches, scored a league-high 89 goals and ended with a +54 goal difference. Those figures placed Inter among the most dominant recent Serie A winners, with the title secured by a comfortable margin rather than one decisive late result.

The Serie A stats table below covers the leading eight clubs and the relegation places, using the final 2025/26 Serie A standings.

Position Team Points European place Season note
1 Inter Milan 87 Champions League Champions and Coppa Italia winners
2 Napoli 76 Champions League Finished 11 points behind Inter
3 Roma 73 Champions League Secured third place
4 Como 71 Champions League First Champions League qualification
5 AC Milan 70 Europa League Missed fourth by one point
6 Juventus 69 Europa League Finished one point behind Milan
7 Atalanta 59 Conference League Took the final European place
8 Bologna 56 None Finished three points behind Atalanta
18 Cremonese 34 Relegated Eight wins
19 Hellas Verona 21 Relegated Three wins
20 Pisa 18 Relegated Conceded 71 goals

Inter’s cup success also affected the European allocation. Since they had already qualified for the Champions League, the Europa League place linked to the Coppa Italia moved down the table. Juventus therefore entered the Europa League from sixth, while Atalanta qualified for the Conference League from seventh, as shown in the final European qualification verdicts.

Chivu’s team completed the domestic double by beating Lazio 2-0 in the Coppa Italia final. An Adam Marušić own goal opened the scoring before Lautaro Martínez added the second.

Lautaro also led the Serie A top scorers with 17 goals from 29 appearances. Federico Dimarco was named Serie A’s Best Overall Player after finishing the full league season with seven goals and 18 assists. Chivu received the Coach of the Season award after guiding Inter to the double in his first full campaign.

Como supplied the other major storyline. Cesc Fàbregas took them to fourth place and their first Champions League qualification, only two seasons after the club had been playing in Serie B. Milan finished one point behind them, while Juventus missed the top four by two, leaving both traditional powers with work to do over the summer.

What’s New in Serie A 2026/27

The new campaign brings changes at both ends of the table. Three promoted clubs must build squads capable of handling the step up, while several established teams are adjusting to new managers and new tactical ideas. With the summer window still open, new arrivals or departures have the potential to alter early Serie A predictions before the opening round.

Promoted and Relegated Clubs

Venezia returned immediately as Serie B champions under Giovanni Stroppa. Frosinone finished second after two seasons away, while Monza claimed the final promotion place through the play-offs. The team arrived with the best regular-season record, while Monza had to earn their return through the additional pressure of the play-offs.

Promoted club Time outside Serie A Promotion route Relegated club Previous top-flight spell
Venezia 1 season Serie B champions Cremonese 1 season
Frosinone 2 seasons Second in Serie B Hellas Verona 7 consecutive seasons
Monza 1 season Play-off winners Pisa 1 season

Frosinone secured the second automatic place, while Monza’s final against Catanzaro finished 2-2 on aggregate. Monza advanced because they had placed higher in the regular-season table.

Manager Changes

Nine clubs changed their head coach, making the managerial picture one of the biggest differences from last season. Rúben Amorim, Domenico Tedesco, Alberto Aquilani and Ignazio Abate will all manage in Serie A for the first time, according to the official 2026/27 head-coach overview.

Club Outgoing manager Incoming manager
Napoli Antonio Conte Massimiliano Allegri
AC Milan Massimiliano Allegri Rúben Amorim
Atalanta Raffaele Palladino Maurizio Sarri
Fiorentina Paolo Vanoli Fabio Grosso
Bologna Vincenzo Italiano Domenico Tedesco
Lazio Maurizio Sarri Gennaro Gattuso
Sassuolo Fabio Grosso Alberto Aquilani
Monza Paolo Bianco Ivan Jurić
Torino Roberto D’Aversa Ignazio Abate

Napoli and Milan face the most prominent changes, with Allegri moving to Naples and Amorim beginning his first job in Italian football. Napoli handed Allegri a contract running until June 2029, giving him the task of closing an 11-point gap to Inter.

Elsewhere, the champions have chosen stability by extending Chivu’s contract until 2028. Gian Piero Gasperini, Fàbregas and Luciano Spalletti also remain at Roma, Como and Juventus, giving those sides a more settled pre-season.

Key Summer Transfers

This transfer overview includes completed deals rather than rumours, with Milan’s moves for Gonçalo Ramos and Mario Gila among the most notable early business. Further Serie A transfer news will follow before Matchday 1 as clubs complete their squads.

Club Player Previous club Deal details Role or impact
AC Milan Gonçalo Ramos Paris Saint-Germain Permanent deal; contract until 2031 Gives Rúben Amorim a recognised centre-forward
AC Milan Mario Gila Lazio Permanent deal; contract until 2031 Adds a defender with established Serie A experience
Inter Milan Aleksandar Stanković Club Brugge Returned through a buy-back option Adds another young option in midfield
Napoli Rasmus Højlund Manchester United Loan converted into a permanent transfer Strengthens Napoli’s central attacking options
Roma Donyell Malen Aston Villa Permanent deal; contract until 2030 Retains a forward who made a strong impact after arriving
Juventus Zeki Çelik Roma Permanent transfer Gives Luciano Spalletti another option on the right
Atalanta Gianluca Gaetano Cagliari Permanent transfer Adds creativity and flexibility in midfield

Como’s Champions League qualification strengthens their position in the transfer market, giving them access to players who might previously have overlooked a newly established Serie A club. Venezia, Frosinone and Monza still need enough depth to cope with a 38-match top-flight season.

African Players to Watch

Several African Serie A players are set to influence the title race and the battle for European qualification:

  • Frank Anguissa, Napoli: Napoli rely on the Cameroon international for physical strength, ball recovery and control in central midfield.
  • Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Lazio: Dele-Bashiru gives Lazio energy between midfield and attack and can operate centrally or in a more advanced role.
  • Boulaye Dia, Lazio: Dia offers Lazio experience through the middle and can lead the attack or play alongside another striker.
  • Odilon Kossounou, Atalanta: After completing a permanent move, Kossounou enters the season as an established defensive option with the pace to operate in a high back line.
  • Samuel Chukwueze, AC Milan: Milan can use Chukwueze’s speed and close control to create a direct threat from the right side.
  • Maduka Okoye, Udinese: Okoye brings international experience and a strong physical presence as he competes for the starting goalkeeper position.
  • Zakaria Aboukhlal, Torino: Aboukhlal gives Torino a mobile attacking option capable of operating across the forward line.
  • Ibrahim Sulemana, Atalanta: The defensive midfielder provides ball-winning ability and cover in central areas.
  • Kamaldeen Sulemana, Atalanta: Kamaldeen (no relation to Ibrahim Sulemana above) gives Atalanta acceleration, direct running and one-on-one ability from either wing.

Anguissa and Kossounou enter pre-season as established first-team figures, while Chukwueze, Dele-Bashiru and the two Sulemanas face stronger competition for regular minutes. Further business at Milan, Lazio or Atalanta could still alter their positions before the window closes.

Key Dates for Serie A 2026/27

The 2026/27 Serie A calendar contains 38 rounds and 380 matches, beginning in August and ending on the final weekend of the following May. The dates below include the opening round, international breaks, midweek Serie A fixtures and several major matches.

Date Event
5 June 2026 Fixture list released
22–23 August 2026 Opening weekend
22 August 2026 Inter vs Monza; Genoa vs Napoli
23 August 2026 Torino vs AC Milan
21 September–6 October 2026 International break
28 October 2026 First midweek round
31 October–1 November 2026 Milan vs Inter
9–17 November 2026 International break
26–27 December 2026 Christmas break
6 January 2027 Second midweek round
Around 10 January 2027 Inter vs Juventus
Around 14 February 2027 Inter vs Milan
22–30 March 2027 International break
Around 18 April 2027 Roma vs Lazio
Around 16 May 2027 Juventus vs Inter
29–30 May 2027 Final matchday

The first-round schedule confirms the opening Serie A games. Milan’s first derby is assigned to Matchday 10 in the AC Milan fixture announcement, while the two Inter–Juventus rounds appear in Juventus’s full schedule. Later dates and kick-off times remain subject to television selections and European competition schedules.

Serie A 2026/27 Title Race: Who Will Win?

The early comparison market listed Inter at 2.00, Juventus and Milan at 6.00, Napoli at 6.50 and Roma at 11.00 on 20 July 2026. These figures provide a snapshot of the title race rather than confirmed 22Bet prices, which vary by country and change as the transfer window develops. Check the latest 22Bet odds before placing a wager to see the current prices for each contender.

Inter Milan: Banker

Inter have the clearest statistical case for retaining the title. They had the league’s best attack, the best goal difference and an 11-point advantage, while Chivu, Lautaro and Dimarco remain central to the team.

Their short price is the main drawback because another Champions League campaign will place additional demands on the squad. Even so, their continuity separates them from rivals who are beginning new coaching cycles. That makes Inter the clearest Banker in the outright market.

Napoli: Trap

Allegri inherits a Napoli side who finished second but ended 11 points behind Inter. His experience in title races gives the club a proven coach, while Anguissa supplies power, control and ball-winning ability in difficult matches.

The tactical shift from Conte to Allegri is the main source of uncertainty. A guide price around 6.50 offers more upside than Inter’s, but Napoli must adapt quickly while balancing domestic and European football. They are credible challengers, although the price does not remove the risk.

AC Milan: Trap

Milan’s transfer business makes them one of the most intriguing teams in early Italy Serie A predictions. Ramos gives Amorim a recognised centre-forward, and Gila already understands the league, but the new coach inherits a team that finished 17 points behind Inter.

Their 6.00 guide price depends on Amorim producing an immediate improvement during his first season in Italian football. Milan are worth monitoring during the opening weeks, but backing them outright before the system settles carries too much risk.

Roma: Dark Horse

Roma begin from a more stable position than several of their rivals after finishing third with 73 points under Gasperini. Their continuity makes them the leading outside contenders, although closing a 14-point gap to Inter remains a substantial challenge.

Our Pick

Inter to retain the title is the most convincing outright selection. Their price is shorter, but their 2025/26 numbers and stable structure set them apart from Napoli and Milan. Lautaro also begins as a leading top-scorer candidate if Inter continue creating chances at last season’s rate.

Team Pick Odds
Inter Milan Inter Milan to Win the Serie A Title 2.00
Napoli Napoli to Win the Serie A Title 6.50
AC Milan AC Milan to Win the Serie A Title 6.00
Roma Roma to Win the Serie A Title 11.00

Check the latest odds and place your bets at 22Bet.

Odds recorded in July 2026. Prices may change as the transfer window develops and the opening round approaches.

Relegation Battle: Who Goes Down?

Venezia enter with the best record of the promoted clubs after winning Serie B, but they were relegated in each of their two most recent top-flight campaigns. Stroppa has earned four promotions from Serie B but has never completed a full Serie A season, according to the official manager’s guide.

Frosinone have failed to survive in each of their three previous Serie A campaigns. Alvini’s only earlier top-flight job ended after 18 winless matches with Cremonese, making Frosinone the clearest early relegation candidate.

Monza came through the play-offs rather than winning automatic promotion, but Jurić brings far more Serie A experience. Lecce are the established club under the most pressure after finishing 17th with 38 points, the highest-placed side to avoid the drop, compared with Cagliari on 43 (14th) and Parma on 45 (13th).

Banker: Frosinone to be relegated. Their record in the division is difficult to ignore, and they have less room for error than Venezia or Monza. Check the current price through the live 22Bet market before placing a bet.