The 1972–73 1. Liga was the 41st season of this league since its creation in 1931. At this time, the 1. Liga was the third tier of the Swiss football league system and it was the highest level of amateur football.
Format There were 39 clubs in the 1. Liga. These were divided into three regional groups, each with 13 teams. Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position. Two points were awarded for a win. The three group winners and the runners-up contested a play-off round to decide the two promotion slots. The last two placed teams in each group were directly relegated to the 2. Liga (fourth tier).
Group West Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity ASI Audax-Friul Neuchâtel Pierre-à-Bot FC Central Fribourg Fribourg Guintzet FC Dürrenast Bern Stadion Lachen FC Fontainemelon Neuchâtel Centre Sportif Fontainemelon FC Le Locle Neuchâtel Installation sportive - Jeanneret FC Meyrin Geneva Stade des Arbères FC Monthey Valais Stade Philippe Pottier FC Raron Valais Sportplatz Rhoneglut FC Renens Waadt Zone sportive du Censuy FC Stade Nyonnais Vaud Stade de Colovray FC Thun Bern Stadion Lachen Urania Genève Sport Geneva Stade de Frontenex Yverdon-Sport FC Vaud Stade Municipal
Final league table
Group Central Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Baden Aargau Esp Stadium FC Bern Bern Stadion Neufeld FC Breite Basel Basel-City Stadion Schützenmatte / Landhof / FC Concordia Basel Basel-City Stadion Rankhof SR Delémont Jura La Blancherie FC Emmenbrücke Lucerne Stadion Gersag SC Kriens Lucerne Stadion Kleinfeld FC Laufen Basel-Country Sportplatz Nau FC Moutier Bern Stade de Chalière FC Nordstern Basel Basel-Stadt Rankhof FC Porrentruy Jura Stade du Tirage FC Solothurn Solothurn Stadion FC Solothurn FC Turgi Aargau Sportanlage Oberau
Final league table
Decider for eleventh place The decider was played on 3 June in Solothurn.
The game was drawn, however, at this period in time, the extra-time as match extension had not yet been introduced. FC Concordia Basel were declaired winners due to the better goal-average of the regular season and, therefore, they remained in the division. FC Turgi were relegated to 2. Liga Interregional.
Group South and East Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Blue Stars Zürich ZürichHardhof FC Chur Grisons Ringstrasse FC Frauenfeld Thurgau Kleine Allmend AS Gambarogno Ticino Centro Sportivo Regionale Magadino US Giubiasco Ticino Campo Semine FC Gossau St. Gallen Sportanlage Buechenwald FC Locarno Locarno, Ticino Stadio comunale Lido FC Rapid Lugano Ticino Cornaredo Stadium FC Red Star Zürich Zürich Allmend Brunau FC Tössfeld Zürich Talgut FC Uzwil St. Gallen Rüti FC Vaduz Liechtenstein Rheinpark Stadion SC Zug Zug Herti Allmend Stadion
Final league table
Promotion play-off The three group winners played a two legged tie against one of the runners-up to decide the three finalists. The games were played on 3 and 10 June.
Qualification round
FC Nordstern Basel win 9–3 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
FC Tössfeld win 6–4 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
SR Delémont win 4–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
Final round The three first round winners competed in a single round-robin to decide the two promotion slots. The games were played on 17, 24 June and 1 July.
FC Nordstern Basel are champions, because they beat Tössfeld in the head-to-head and Tössfeld are runners-up. These two teams are promoted.
Further in Swiss football 1972–73 Nationalliga A 1972–73 Nationalliga B 1972–73 Swiss Cup
References
Sources Switzerland 1972–73 at RSSSF