The 1971–72 1. Liga was the 40th 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 Bern Bern Stadion Neufeld FC Central Fribourg Fribourg Guintzet FC Dürrenast Bern Stadion Lachen CS La Tour-de-Peilz Vaud Stade de Bel-Air FC Le Locle Neuchâtel Installation sportive - Jeanneret FC Meyrin Geneva Stade des Arbères FC Minerva Bern Bern Spitalacker FC Raron Valais Sportplatz Rhoneglut 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 Breite Basel Basel-City Stadion Schützenmatte / Landhof / FC Breitenbach Solothurn Grien SC Burgdorf canton of Bern Stadion Neumatt SC Buochs Nidwalden Stadion Seefeld FC Concordia Basel Basel-City Stadion Rankhof SR Delémont Jura La Blancherie FC Emmenbrücke Lucerne Stadion Gersag FC Laufen Basel-Country Sportplatz Nau 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
Group South and East Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Amriswil Thurgau Tellenfeld FC Blue Stars Zürich ZürichHardhof FC Chur Grisons Ringstrasse FC Frauenfeld Thurgau Kleine Allmend US Giubiasco Ticino Campo Semine FC Gossau St. Gallen Sportanlage Buechenwald FC Locarno Locarno, Ticino Stadio comunale Lido FC Red Star Zürich Zürich Allmend Brunau FC Rorschach Schwyz Sportplatz Kellen FC Tössfeld Zürich Talgut FC Vaduz Liechtenstein Rheinpark Stadion FC Young Fellows Zürich Zürich Utogrund SC Zug Zug Herti Allmend Stadion
Final league table
Decider for second place The decider match for second place was played on 30 May 1972 in Küssnacht.
SC Zug win and advance to play-offs. FC Vaduz remain in the division.
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 Qualification round
FC Young Fellows Zürich win 7–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
SC Buochs win on away goals and continue to the finals.
FC Stade Nyonnais qualified as better classed team in the regular season 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
FC Young Fellows Zürich are 1. Liga champions, SC Buochs are runners-up and these two teams are promoted.
Further in Swiss football 1971–72 Nationalliga A 1971–72 Nationalliga B 1971–72 Swiss Cup
References
Sources Switzerland 1971–72 at RSSSF