The prestigious IFFHS ranking for 2023 has been compiled with Italy leading the way. In 2022, our league had finished in fifth place.
The excellent European performance of Serie A teams in the past season brings international recognition for 2023 and hope for 2024. As every year, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) has ranked the world’s best football leagues, and Serie A has secured the top spot ahead of the Premier League and La Liga.
Compared to 2022, where it finished fifth, our league has climbed four positions, displacing the Brazilian Serie A to fourth place. The criteria are, of course, statistical, reflecting the success of our teams in the European journey last season, highlighted by Inter, Roma, and Fiorentina‘s continental finals and the impressive performances of Milan and Napoli in the Champions League.
The enthusiasm from the league is evident, with a understandable optimism for the future: “The recognition of being the best sports league in the world for 2023 awarded by IFFHS is of great importance to us,” commented Luigi De Siervo, the CEO of Serie A. “It certifies our surpassing the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga. This result stems from the tremendous work done by the entire Serie A and the excellent results of our clubs, continuing after reaching the three European finals last season and remaining competitive in European competitions in the subsequent months. It’s a serious and significant acknowledgment that confirms the significant growth of Serie A in recent times.”
As we turn to the crucial year of 2024 for European football, Serie A clubs have made a strong start. While Milan may have lost its place in the Champions League, sliding into the Europa League, Serie A still has all 7 teams in contention. In contrast, the Bundesliga lost a team, the Premier League and La Liga lost two each. France is also doing well with all six teams still in the race, but for now, Ligue 1 is not the league we compete against.
In the current UEFA season ranking, Serie A leads with 14,000 points, ahead of the Bundesliga (13,642), the Premier League (13,625), La Liga (12,687), and the Czech Republic league (12,000). As we approach the knockout clashes, all our teams face direct competition with leagues in the ranking: Lazio against Bayern, Inter and Napoli against Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Fortunately, Real Madrid vs. Leipzig will eliminate a team from either the Bundesliga or La Liga. The season is still long, but the encouraging numbers from 2023, leading us to the top spot in the IFFHS ranking, bode well and raise the hopes for Serie A.
