The Lega Nazionale Professionisti (Italian for National Professionals League), commonly known as Lega Calcio (Football League), was the governing body that ran the two highest football divisions in Italy, namely Serie A and Serie B, from 1946 to 2010.
Its predecessor during the fascist era, between 1926 and 1944, was the Direttorio Divisioni Superiori (Directory of Higher Divisions), a committee whose president was appointed by the FIGC.
Besides, the Lega Calcio also organized the main Italian cup competition, the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana.
At the lower end, three or four club were relegated to the Serie C, while teams from the Lega C joined in their place.
Promotion and relegation were determined by final league positions, but to sustain interest for more clubs over the length of the season in the later years one promotion place from Serie B was decided according to a playoff between four clubs, which took place at the end of the season.