The 1941–42 Swiss Cup was the 17th season of Switzerland's football cup competition, organised annually since the 1925–26 season by the Swiss Football Association.
Overview Preamble In Switzerland during the second world war period, sport became an integral part of the "spiritual national defense". This was a political and cultural movement that had already become increasingly important during the late 1930s. Politicians, intellectuals and media professionals had increasingly called for measures to strengthen Switzerland's basic cultural values. Since the Nationalliga games were also considered to be one of the activities that seemed important for maintaining the morale of the population, the military authorities put considerably fewer obstacles in the way of the top players and leading clubs as they had during the previous World War. However, in 1941, the "Lex Zumbühl", named after the Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) president, formally banned professional football players. In addition to this, the number of foreign players allowed to play was reduced from three to one per team.
Format This season's cup competition began with a preliminary round, which began on the week-end of 24 August 1941. However, most of the games were played a week later. The competition was to be completed on Easter Monday, 6 April 1942, with the final, which since 1937, was traditionally held in the country's capital, at the former Wankdorf Stadium in Bern. The preliminary round was held for the lower league teams that had not qualified themselves for the competition. The lower league teams that had qualified via their regional football association's own cup competitions, or had achieved their association's requirements, joined the competition in the first round. The clubs from this season's 1. Liga were given a bye for the first round and started in the second round. The clubs from the 1941–42 Nationalliga were given byes for the first three rounds. These teams joined the competition in the fourth round. These games were played on the week-end before Christmas on 21 December 1941.
The matches were played in a knockout format. In the event of a draw after 90 minutes, the match went into extra time. In the event of a draw at the end of extra time, if agreed between the clubs, a replay was foreseen and this was played on the visiting team's pitch. Rules and regulations to this situation were altered and amended continuously by each regional football association, due to the current situation (second world war). If the replay ended in a draw after extra time, or if a replay had not been agreed, a toss of a coin would establish the team that qualified for the next round.
Preliminary round The lower league teams that had not qualified themselves for the competition via their regional football association's own regional cup competitions or had not achieved their association's requirements, competed here in a kind of second chance round. Reserve teams were not admitted to the competition. The draw respected local regionalities. The preliminary started on Saturday 24 August 1941. However, most of the games were played a week later. This round was contested by 98 teams. Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|24 August 1941
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|31 August 1941
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|21 September 1941
Replays
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|7 September 1941
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|14 September 1941
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|date unknown
Note to the replay Wacker–Fulgor: date of play and result remain unknown, but Wacker qualified for the next round.
Round 1 In the first round, the lower league teams that had already qualified themselves for the competition through their regional football association's own regional requirements competed here, together with the winners of the preliminary round. All the teams from this years 1. Liga were given a bye and they started in the next round. Whenever possible, the draw respected local regionalities. The first round were played on 28 September. Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|28 September 1941
Note match Bülach–Ticinese Zürich: no replay was agreed. AS Ticinese Zürich qualified on toss of a coin. Note: match Floria–Le Sentier was not played and was awarded 3–0 to FC Floria.
Matches
Turgi and Sporting Club Aarau both played the 1941/42 season in the 2. Liga (third tier)
Round 2 The winning teams from the first round were joined by the teams from this years 1. Liga to compete in the second round. Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|16 November 1941
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|23 November 1941
Replays
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|30 November 1941
Matches
Erlinsbach played the 1941/42 season in the 2. Liga (third tier) and Aarau in the 1. Liga (second tier)
Basel played the 1941/42 season in the 1. Liga (second tier) and Old Boys in the 2. Liga (third tier)
Round 3 Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|7 December 1941
Replays
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|14 December 1941
Note (t): US Bienne Boujean qualified on toss of a coin.
Matches
Birsfelden played the 1941/42 season in the 2. Liga (third tier)
Round 4 The teams from this season's Nationalliga, who had received a bye for the first three rounds, entered the cup competition in this round. The teams from the Nationalliga were seeded and could not be drawn against each other. Whenever possible, the draw respected local regionalities. The fourth round was played the week-end before Christmas. Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|21 December 1941
Replay
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|18 January 1942
Matches
Fribourg played the 1941/42 season in the 1. Liga (second tier)
Red Star played the 1941/42 season in the 2. Liga (third tier)
Round 5 Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|22 February 1942
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|15 March 1942
Matches
Note: Solothurn waived their home advantage due to strong competition from the other cup matches near-by, Biel-GC and Grenchen-Young Fellows. From 60th minute Solothurn down to ten players due to an injury. Solothurn played the 1941/42 season in the 2. Liga (third tier).
Quarter-finals Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|22 March 1942
Note (t) match Basel–Lugano: The teams could not agree upon a replay date. Lugano offered a midweek match in Lucerne or Zurich. Basel stated that its players in military-duty would not be allowed to play a weekday match. Basel qualified on toss of a coin.
Matches
Basel qualified on toss of a coin.
Semi-finals Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|29 March 1942
Replay
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|4 April 1942
Matches
Note: Grenchen had only ten players from the 48th minute onwards, due to an injury to Tanner.
Final The final was traditionally held in the capital Bern, at the former Wankdorf Stadium, on Easter Monday. The replay was then played on Whit Monday. Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|6 April 1942
Replay
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|25 May 1942
Telegram
Grasshopper Club won the cup and this was the club's ninth cup title to this date. Three weeks later the team also won the Swiss league championship and thus secured themselves the double. This was the club's third time in their history that they had achieved the double to this date. At that time, Basel played in the second highest league (1. Liga) and achieved promotion to the Nationalliga at the end of the season.
Further in Swiss football 1941–42 Nationalliga 1941–42 Swiss 1. Liga
References
Sources Fussball-Schweiz FCB Cup games 1941–42 at fcb-achiv.ch Switzerland 1941–42 at RSSSF