The Italian football league system, a hierarchical "pyramid" of nine national and regional tournaments, operates on principles of promotion and relegation, famously allowing a club like AC ChievoVerona to rise from lower divisions to the top-tier Serie A. Its origins trace back to the establishment of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in 1898, which organized the first championship won by Genoa CFC, Italy's oldest active football team founded in 1893. A unified national league, featuring Serie A and Serie B, was formed in 1929, with Internazionale securing the inaugural Serie A title in 1930. Since World War II, Juventus, Milan, and Internazionale have largely dominated Serie A, collectively winning 57 of 74 seasons. Italy's professional structure has continually evolved since 1978, making it uniquely the only country with three distinct professional football leagues today.