The Race for Places: Serie B Playoff and Playout Battles Heat Up

The climax of the 2025/26 Serie B campaign is finally coming into view and the skirmish for points and places at both ends of the table in Italy’s second tier is beginning to intensify.

Though the regular 38-game season is on the cusp of completion, the destiny of several of the division’s clubs has yet to be decided, with rivals for playoff positions and the race for survival still searching for potentially pivotal points.

Indeed, one more spot in the playoff quarter-finals is still up for grabs, with Catanzaro, Modena and Juve Stabia already lying in wait, while the shake-up in the relegation and playout places has yet to settle, with seven different sides involved there.

Serie B: Promotion and Playoff Race Overview

Fans looking to stay fully on top of Serie B promotion/playoff news, as well as developments across Europe’s other major domestic leagues, can do so through platforms like MansionBet, which provide extensive options for tracking competitions through betting brands and markets. However, here is a snapshot of the current picture in Serie B.

Ambitious Venezia, who’ve just secured a €100 million investment ahead of the summer, and Frosinone have been promoted to Serie A automatically as Serie B’s top two finishers.

Below them, Monza (3rd) and Palermo (4th) are assured of places in the playoff semi finals, while Catanzaro (5th), Modena (6th) and Juve Stabia (7th) are confirmed quarter-finalists.

One more club from Avellino, Cesena, Mantova, Carrarese, Sampdoria and Padova will join that aforementioned trio in the playoffs.

The LNPB recently released the playoff schedule for 2025/26 and this year’s programme will work as follows:

Playoffs first round (single-legged, higher placed advances if draw after extra time):

• 12/5 18.45 - Modena (6th) v Juve Stabia (7th)
• 12/5 21.00 - Catanzaro (5th) v 8th

Playoff semifinals (two-legged, higher placed advances with aggregate draw):

• 16/5 20.00 - Modena/Juve Stabia v Monza (3rd)
• 17/5 20.00 - Catanzaro/8th v Palermo (4th)
• 19/5 20.00 - Monza (3rd) v Modena/Juve Stabia
• 20/5 20.00 - Palermo (4th) v Catanzaro/8th

AC Monza are bidding to return to Serie A at the first time of asking following their relegation last year, while Palermo, who have been plagued by financial and legal issues in recent years, are hoping or reach the top flight for the first time since 2017.

Catanzaro meanwhile, haven’t competed in Serie A since 1983, while Modena haven’t visited the top-level since 1964. Juve Stabia haven’t reached the upper tier of Italian football in the club’s entire history, and they will be desperate to seize this opportunity.

Cesena, who are hoping to end a 14-year absence from Serie A, already seem to be planning for next season, with rumours linking them with a move for talented forward Gerardo Fusco, who has caught the eye while starring for Cavese in Serie C this term.

The Relegation and Playout Battle

Nearer the foot of the table, the tussle to avoid being demoted to Serie C is equally compelling. The bottom three finishers will be relegated automatically, though the clubs that land in 16th and 17th place must compete in a do-or-die two-legged playout to save their skins.

Ahead of the final round of regular-season fixtures, seven teams are still involved in the relegation mix. The best that Reggiana, Spezia and Pescara can hope for is a spot in the playouts, though all three must win their final fixtures, while crossing their fingers that Bari lose theirs to trigger a dramatic positional switch.

Bari, who have the worst goal difference in the division, can’t escape the drop zone completely, even if they can somehow manufacture a victory at Catanzaro.

Entella meanwhile, can secure safety with the right results on the regular campaign’s final day, while Sudtirol and Empoli could be dragged into the mire if scorelines go against them.

Empoli, who were in Serie A just 12 months ago, will be determined to stave off back-to-back relegations, with a double drop potentially devastating for the club’s finances. The Tuscan club haven’t been in Serie C for 30 years and they will be desperate to avoid a return.

With so much still at stake in Serie B, the remaining fixtures and playoff matches promise edge-of-the-seat drama ahead of the impending summer transfer frenzy.