Serie B Standings

Serie B Standings Explained: How the 2026/27 Table Works

Serie B is the second tier of Italian men’s football, one level below Serie A, and this page explains how its standings table works so you can make sense of the live table shown below. It covers the current 2026/27 season: the competition format, what each position in the table means for promotion, the play-offs and relegation, how teams level on points are separated, the key dates, and how to follow the matches from New Zealand. The table underneath updates automatically after every round, so it always reflects the latest results – the sections that follow tell you how to read it.

How the Serie B standings table works

Serie B is a 20-team league that ranks clubs purely on points earned over the season. Every club plays each of the other 19 teams twice – once at home and once away – for a total of 38 matches each. A win is worth 3 points, a draw 1 point, and a defeat 0 points. The club with the most points sits top of the table and the club with the fewest sits bottom.

The table columns follow the standard football layout: matches played, won, drawn and lost, goals for and against, goal difference and total points. If you are new to any of these, our guide on how to read a sports standings table walks through each column, and the standings table abbreviations glossary explains shorthand such as GP, W, D, L, GD and Pts. One thing to watch in Serie B: clubs can carry points deductions for financial or disciplinary breaches, so a team’s position may not match what its raw results suggest.

What each position in the table means

The top of the Serie B table is about reaching Serie A and the bottom is about dropping to Serie C; the middle is largely safe. Here is what the key positions decide in 2026/27.

Promotion places (top of the table)

The top two clubs are promoted automatically to Serie A. The third-placed club can also go up automatically, but only if it finishes a long way clear of fourth – the league’s regulations set the gap (reported at around 15 points in recent seasons). If that margin is not met, third place instead enters the promotion play-offs, where one more Serie A place is up for grabs.

Play-off places (3rd to 8th)

The clubs finishing 3rd through 8th qualify for the promotion play-offs, a knockout mini-tournament that decides the third and final promotion spot. Finishing higher in the table is a real advantage here, as explained in the “how the season ends” section below.

Relegation and play-out places (bottom of the table)

The bottom three clubs – 18th, 19th and 20th – are relegated directly to Serie C. The clubs in 16th and 17th contest a two-legged relegation play-out, and the loser goes down too, so four clubs drop in total. If 16th and 17th finish more than four points apart, there is no play-out and the team in 17th is relegated directly.

Is there European qualification in Serie B?

No. Serie B offers no continental or European qualification. Places in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League are decided by the Serie A table and the Coppa Italia, so a Serie B club earns a European route only after it is promoted.

How Serie B separates teams level on points

When two or more clubs finish level on points, Serie B uses a head-to-head system first, not overall goal difference. The ranking criteria are applied in this order: 1) points; 2) points won in the matches between the tied clubs (head-to-head); 3) goal difference in those head-to-head matches; 4) overall goal difference; 5) total goals scored; and, if clubs are still level, a draw of lots. Because the head-to-head mini-table comes before overall goal difference, two clubs on the same points can be split by results you will not see in the main columns. Our explainer on how points and tiebreakers are decided covers these systems across sports.

Key dates for the 2026/27 season

The 2026/27 Serie B season kicked off on the weekend of 21-22 August 2026 and runs across 38 rounds. The schedule includes several midweek rounds and a short break around the turn of the year before resuming in January. The final round of the regular season is set for the weekend of 14-16 May 2027. The promotion play-offs and the relegation play-out follow in the weeks after that, typically running into late May and early June, which is when the last promotion and relegation places are settled.

How the Serie B season ends

Serie B does not end with a single championship final – the league table decides most of it, and knockout ties settle the rest. The two automatic promotion places (and a possible third) are decided by the final table. The third Serie A place is then decided by the promotion play-offs among the clubs in 3rd to 8th.

The play-offs are seeded by league position. The clubs in 5th to 8th play a single preliminary match (5th hosts 8th, 6th hosts 7th); if level after extra time, the higher-placed club goes through. The clubs in 3rd and 4th enter at the two-legged semi-finals, and a two-legged final decides promotion. Throughout, the higher-placed club has the edge: if a tie is level on aggregate, it advances, with no penalty shoot-out in most cases. The relegation play-out between 16th and 17th is also played over two legs, with the higher-placed club surviving if the tie is level.

Following Serie B from New Zealand

New Zealand runs roughly 10 to 12 hours ahead of Italy, depending on daylight saving on both sides (NZDT/NZST here against CET/CEST there). In practice that turns Italian evening kick-offs into early-morning viewing in New Zealand – a Saturday night match in Italy is usually an early Sunday morning fixture on the NZ clock. We could not confirm a dedicated New Zealand television broadcaster or streaming service for Serie B for the 2026/27 season, so check an up-to-date listings source before kick-off rather than relying on a fixed channel. The quickest way to follow the live table and results is the official Lega Serie B site. For context on how the leagues Kiwi fans usually watch rank their teams, see our overview of New Zealand sports standings.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How many teams are in Serie B?

Serie B has 20 clubs in the 2026/27 season. Each plays 38 matches – home and away against every other team – earning 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a defeat.

How many teams get promoted from Serie B to Serie A?

Three clubs go up each season. The top two in the final table are promoted automatically, and a third place is decided by the play-offs among the clubs in 3rd to 8th. Third place can also be promoted automatically if it finishes far enough clear of fourth.

How many teams are relegated from Serie B?

Four clubs drop to Serie C. The bottom three (18th, 19th and 20th) are relegated directly, and the loser of the play-out between the clubs in 16th and 17th goes down as well.

Does Serie B have Champions League or European places?

No. Serie B does not offer any European or continental qualification. Those places are decided by Serie A and the Coppa Italia, so a Serie B club reaches Europe only after winning promotion.

How are Serie B teams separated when level on points?

Serie B looks at head-to-head results first: points in the matches between the tied clubs, then head-to-head goal difference, then overall goal difference, then goals scored, and finally a draw of lots if clubs are still level.