Serie A 2026/27 Season Preview. Serie A returns on the weekend of 22–23 August with Inter Milan starting the new campaign as defending champions. They remain the team to beat, but this does not look like a straightforward title defence.
Inter have changed important parts of the squad that won the league and Coppa Italia last season, while Roma, Como, Juventus, Napoli and AC Milan all enter 2026/27 with reasons to believe they can close the gap.
For South African football fans, the opening weekend immediately offers several major fixtures, including Inter against newly promoted Monza, Genoa against Napoli and Frosinone against Juventus. Fans who want to follow the markets around the competition can also check the latest Serie A betting odds on SportPesa South Africa.
Serie A 2026/27 season at a glance
The campaign will run across 38 matchdays and is scheduled to finish on the weekend of 29–30 May 2027. Venezia, Frosinone and Monza have joined the division after winning promotion from Serie B, while Inter begin the season looking for a second consecutive Scudetto.
The title race is also more open than simply asking whether Juventus or Napoli can catch Inter. Opta’s pre-season projections still make Inter favourites, but Como and Roma are among their closest projected challengers alongside Juventus.
That gives the 2026/27 season a different shape. Several clubs outside Italy’s traditional three northern giants now have realistic European and domestic ambitions.
READ ALSO : Europa League Third Qualifying Round
Inter Milan remain favourites, but this is a different team
Inter won their 21st Italian league title in 2025/26 under Cristian Chivu, and the coach has since extended his stay with the club. The challenge now is maintaining the standards of last season while refreshing an experienced squad.
The defence has undergone significant change.
Yann Sommer, Denzel Dumfries and Stefan de Vrij have left, while John Stones and Djed Spence are among the new arrivals. Manuel Akanji has also completed a permanent move after his loan spell. Josep Martínez is expected to have a bigger role in goal.
Further forward, Inter retain something much more familiar: Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram.
Their partnership gives Chivu a proven attacking base while the rest of the team evolves around them. That balance between continuity in attack and change elsewhere may decide whether Inter can control another long title race.
Opta’s pre-season simulations give Inter a 35.1% chance of winning Serie A, comfortably the highest projection in the league.
Como and Roma have earned a place in the title conversation
One of the biggest changes from last season’s Serie A hierarchy is the rise of Como.
Como are not a newly promoted club this season. They finished fourth in 2025/26, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history under Cesc Fàbregas.
Nico Paz remains central to that project after directly contributing to 18 Serie A goals last season, while Trevoh Chalobah has strengthened the squad ahead of a season that will combine domestic football with a first Champions League campaign.
Opta gives Como a 13.6% title probability, slightly ahead of Roma’s 12.7%.
Roma also deserve attention after finishing third last season. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team ended the campaign strongly and now enter 2026/27 with both Serie A and Champions League ambitions.
That European workload could become important for both clubs. You can follow the wider continental picture in our 2026/27 UEFA Champions League guide, including the format, qualified teams and key dates.
Juventus, Napoli and AC Milan are rebuilding in different ways
Juventus
Juventus continue with Luciano Spalletti despite finishing outside the Champions League positions last season.
The club have backed the rebuild by bringing Randal Kolo Muani back to Turin, while young talent has also been added to the squad. Opta gives Juventus an 11.4% chance of winning Serie A and a 47.8% probability of finishing in the Champions League positions.
The first test comes away to promoted Frosinone.
Napoli
Napoli begin a new phase under Massimiliano Allegri after Antonio Conte’s departure.
Romelu Lukaku has left for Fenerbahçe, leaving Rasmus Højlund with a major role in the attack. Kevin De Bruyne’s fitness could also have a significant influence after injuries disrupted much of his previous campaign.
Napoli finished second last season and cannot be dismissed, even if Opta’s initial title probability of 7.5% places them behind several rivals.
AC Milan
AC Milan have made one of the league’s biggest managerial changes by replacing Allegri with former Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim.
Gonçalo Ramos has arrived from Paris Saint-Germain, while Mario Gila adds experience in defence and Luka Modrić remains part of the midfield.
Milan finished fifth last season and missed Champions League qualification, so Amorim’s first objective is not simply joining the title race. He must first restore consistency to a side that dropped important points during the closing stages of 2025/26.
Fans following the other major European leagues can also read our Premier League 2026/27 season preview for the title and top-four battles in England.
Which teams were promoted to Serie A for 2026/27?
Three teams arrive from Serie B:
- Venezia return immediately after winning the Serie B title.
- Frosinone secured automatic promotion after finishing second.
- Monza returned through the promotion play-offs.
Their objective is survival, and the early projections show how difficult that could be.
Opta’s simulations place Monza’s relegation probability at 42.9%, with Frosinone at 40.7%. Venezia are projected at 33.7%, while Lecce are also firmly involved in the early relegation picture.
For Monza, the difficulty starts immediately with a trip to defending champions Inter.
Serie A opening fixtures to watch
The opening round gives several title contenders an immediate test.
Inter host Monza on 22 August, while Como begin away to Udinese and Napoli travel to Genoa. Juventus visit Frosinone, Milan start away against Torino, and Roma open at home against Fiorentina.
Inter should be expected to control their opener, but the more interesting early indicators may come from the teams undergoing bigger tactical changes.
How quickly will Amorim’s Milan find their attacking rhythm? Can Allegri make Napoli immediately difficult to beat? Can Juventus begin Spalletti’s second season with more consistency? And can Como handle the added demands of Champions League football without losing the qualities that took them into the top four?
Those are questions that will begin producing answers from Matchday 1.
READ ALSO : UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying round
The tactical stories that could shape Serie A
Serie A’s biggest tactical story this season may be how several leading sides handle change rather than any single formation.
Chivu must integrate a reshaped Inter defence without weakening the stability that delivered last season’s double. Amorim arrives at Milan intending to produce a more aggressive team. Allegri brings a more pragmatic approach to Napoli, while Gasperini and Fàbregas continue projects at Roma and Como that already produced impressive results last season.
That creates different styles at the top of the league rather than several clubs trying to solve the same problem in the same way.
It should also make direct meetings between the leading contenders especially important. Serie A title races are rarely decided by one match, but points taken from rivals can become decisive once European fixtures and injuries begin affecting squad depth.
Following Serie A on SportPesa South Africa
SportPesa South Africa currently lists Serie A fixtures and markets including 3 Way, Double Chance, Over/Under and Both Teams to Score. The league page can be used to follow available markets as the season progresses.
If you are building selections across several matches, our guide on how to place a Multi-Bet on SportPesa South Africa explains the process before you place a bet.
18+ only. Bet responsibly.
Serie A 2026/27 FAQs
When does the 2026/27 Serie A season start?
The season begins on the weekend of 22–23 August 2026.
When does Serie A 2026/27 end?
The final round is scheduled for the weekend of 29–30 May 2027.
Who are the defending Serie A champions?
Inter Milan are the defending champions after winning the 2025/26 Scudetto, their 21st Italian league title.
Who are the favourites to win Serie A in 2026/27?
Inter are the strongest pre-season favourites in Opta’s simulations with a 35.1% title probability. Como, Roma and Juventus are projected as their closest challengers.
Which teams were promoted to Serie A?
Venezia, Frosinone and Monza were promoted for the 2026/27 season.
Can Inter win Serie A again?
Inter start from the strongest position, but their title defence comes with more uncertainty than last season.
The champions have retained Chivu, Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram, but several important defensive pieces have changed. At the same time, Como and Roma are coming off Champions League qualification, Juventus continue their rebuild, Napoli have changed manager and Milan have started again under Amorim.
That makes Inter favourites rather than inevitable winners.
The Scudetto race begins on 22 August. From there, the biggest question is not simply whether Inter remain strong enough. It is whether one of the chasing teams can stay with them across all 38 matchdays.
Conclusion
Inter Milan begin the 2026/27 Serie A season as the team to beat, but the title race looks far from settled. Roma, Como, Juventus, Napoli and AC Milan all enter the campaign with different strengths, new ideas and enough quality to make the competition more unpredictable.
For Inter, the challenge is to maintain the standards of last season while adapting to changes within the squad. For the chasing clubs, the opportunity is clear: start strongly, stay consistent and take advantage of any slip from the champions.
With 38 matchdays ahead, the Scudetto will not be decided in August. But the opening weeks should quickly show which teams are ready to turn pre-season promise into a genuine title challenge.
