The following is the summary of the Swiss National League in the 1936–37 football season. This was the 40th season of top-tier football in Switzerland.
Overview For this season, the Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) had been reduced from 14 to 13 member clubs in the top-tier and 24 clubs in the second-tier. This was one Nationalliga team fewer than in the previous season, this because the league format was being modified. Next season would see the number of teams in the top-tier again reduced to just 12 teams. From then onwards the format would remain unchanged.
The 13 top-tier teams played a double round-robin to decide their league table positions. Two points were awarded for a win and one point was awarded for a draw. The first placed team at the end of the season would be awarded the Swiss championship title and the last two placed teams would be relegated to the 1937–38 1. Liga. As only one team from the second tier 1. Liga would achieve promotion this season, the ASF/SFV would complete their modification of the Nationalliga for next season.
Nationalliga The league season began with the first matchday on 30 August 1936 and was concluded with the last round on 6 June 1937. Teams, locations Team Based in Canton Stadium Capacity FC Basel Basel Landhof FC Bern Bern Stadion Neufeld FC Biel-Bienne Biel/Bienne Stadion Gurzelen Grasshopper Club Zürich Zürich Hardturm FC La Chaux-de-Fonds La Chaux-de-Fonds Centre Sportif de la Charrière FC Lausanne-Sport Lausanne Pontaise FC Lugano Lugano Cornaredo Stadium FC Luzern Lucerne Stadion Allmend FC Nordstern Basel Basel Rankhof Servette FC Geneva Stade des Charmilles FC St. Gallen St. Gallen Espenmoos BSC Young Boys Bern Wankdorf Stadium FC Young Fellows Zürich Utogrund
Final league table
As Grasshopper Club had already won the Swiss Cup three months earlier, on 29 March, the team won the domestic Double in this season. This was the clubs eighth league title and their second Double to this date.
Results
Play-out against relegation The twelfth position was the relegation slot. Because Basel and La Chaux-de-Fonds ended the season level on points in joint eleventh/twelfth position, a play-out against relegation was required. The play-out took place on 13 June 1937 at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern.
Because the match ended in a draw after extra time and since practices such as penalty shootouts or the "golden goal" were still unknown at the time, a replay was required. The replay took place at the Stadion Neufeld in Bern one week later.
Basel won and remained in the division for the next season. La Chaux-de-Fonds were relegated to 1937–38 1. Liga.
Topscorers Rank Player Nat. Goals Club1. Alessandro Frigerio 23 Young Fellows2. Willy Jäggi 21 Lausanne-Sports 2. István Grósz 19 Servette 4. Xam Abegglen 18 Grasshopper Club Albert Büche 18 Nordstern Basel Eugen "Genia" Walaschek 18 Servette7. Aldo Poretti 15 Young Boys Stefanovic 15 Lugano
Further in Swiss football 1936–37 Swiss Cup 1936–37 Swiss 1. Liga
References
Sources Switzerland 1936–37 at RSSSF