campionato

Campionato is the Italian word for a championship or league competition in which several teams compete over a season to determine a champion. The term is used across many sports and levels, from professional leagues to amateur tournaments, typically organized on an annual cycle.

Most campionati use a league format in which each team plays others, usually in a double round-robin (home and away). Teams earn points for results (commonly three for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss). The standings are tracked in a league table, with tiebreakers such as goal difference and goals scored.

At the end of the season the team with the most points is the campione. Many leagues include promotion and relegation, so successful teams move up to higher divisions while underperforming teams drop to lower ones. Some competitions may also award a title through playoffs or finals when groups exist.

While most commonly associated with football (calcio), the word campionato is used for championships in other sports as well, for example campionato di pallacanestro (basketball) or campionato di rugby. In Italy, the top football competition is the Campionato Italiano, with Serie A serving as its current top division.