The 1939–40 Serie B was the eleventh edition of Italy’s second‑tier football league. The competition was contested by 18 clubs in a single round‑robin format, each team playing 34 matches (home and away against every other side).
Season overview
- Champions: Atalanta (second Serie B title) – promoted to Serie A.
- Promoted to Serie A: Atalanta and Livorno (finished 1st and 2nd).
- Relegated to Serie C: Molinella, Vigevano, Sanremese and Catania (finished 15th–18th).
Teams
The league included clubs relegated from the 1938–39 Serie A (Livorno and Lucchese) and clubs promoted from the 1938–39 Serie C (Brescia, Udinese, Molinella and Catania).
Final classification (points system)
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Goal Avg. | Pts | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atalanta (C) | 34 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 62 | 31 | 2.000 | 47 | Promotion |
| 2 | Livorno (P) | 34 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 84 | 35 | 2.400 | 46 | Promotion |
| 3 | Lucchese | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 63 | 45 | 1.400 | 44 | – |
| 4 | Anconitana | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 54 | 34 | 1.588 | 41 | – |
| 5 | Siena | 34 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 49 | 34 | 1.441 | 40 | – |
| 6 | Brescia | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 54 | 39 | 1.385 | 40 | – |
| 7 | Alessandria | 34 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 59 | 41 | 1.439 | 38 | – |
| 8 | Padova | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 69 | 57 | 1.211 | 37 | – |
| 9 | Pro Vercelli | 34 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 62 | 67 | 0.925 | 34 | – |
| 10 | Udinese | 34 | 14 | 5 | 15 | 60 | 57 | 1.053 | 33 | – |
| 11 | Fanfulla | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 45 | 44 | 1.023 | 32 | – |
| 12 | Pisa | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 54 | 62 | 0.871 | 31 | – |
| 13 | Verona | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 41 | 56 | 0.732 | 31 | – |
| 14 | Palermo (E,R,R) | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 39 | 69 | 0.565 | 29 | Eliminated; lost professional status |
| 15 | Molinella (R) | 34 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 42 | 62 | 0.677 | 26 | Relegation |
| 16 | Vigevano (R) | 34 | 9 | 5 | 20 | 44 | 70 | 0.629 | 23 | Relegation |
| 17 | Sanremese (R) | 34 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 27 | 60 | 0.450 | 21 | Relegation |
| 18 | Catania (R) | 34 | 3 | 13 | 18 | 24 | 69 | 0.348 | 19 | Relegation |
Points were awarded as two for a win and one for a draw. Goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded) was used to separate teams level on points.
Notable events
- Palermo were unable to retain professional status after the season; the club’s first team was dissolved and later re‑formed in the amateur Sicilian Championship before returning to Serie C in 1941.
- Molinella were relegated after the FIGC determined the club could not financially sustain participation in Serie B.
The 1939–40 Serie B season took place shortly before Italy’s full involvement in World War II, after which the league’s structure and scheduling were disrupted.
Sources: Italian football historical archives, RSSSF season tables, and contemporary league records.
