San Marino

San Marino, although one of the smallest countries in the world, boasts its own complete domestic league system, which holds plenty of unique quirks.

Full league with no relegation or promotion

There are 15 official football clubs in San Marino. All of them compete in a single, top-tier division — the Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio.

• No lower divisions: Due to the small number of teams, there is no promotion or relegation.
• Competition format: The league is split into a regular season and an exciting playoff phase that determines the ultimate national champion.

Everyone plays in the same backyard

The most unique aspect of the Sammarinese league is its infrastructure. Clubs do not own exclusive, traditional home stadiums.

• All league matches are played across a handful of designated venues throughout the republic (such as Serravalle, Fiorentino, or Domagnano).
• In practice, this means the concept of "home" and "away" games in San Marino is purely symbolic.

Champions League ticket and domestic cup

Unlike Liechtenstein, San Marino is guaranteed a spot in the Champions League qualifiers:

• The national champion starts its campaign in the preliminary qualifying rounds of the Champions League.
• The winner of the Domestic Cup (Coppa Titano) and the league runner-up secure places in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers.

The odd one out in Italy

An interesting curiosity is the club Victor San Marino (formerly San Marino Calcio). Despite the presence of a local domestic league, this single team has competed in the Italian league system for years (currently in the Italian lower divisions), creating a reverse case of what is seen in Liechtenstein.