The following is the summary of the Swiss National League in the 1960–61 football season, both Nationalliga A and Nationalliga B. This was the 64th season of top-tier and the 63rd season of second-tier football in Switzerland.
Overview The Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) had 28 member clubs at this time which were divided into two divisions of 14 teams each. The teams played a double round-robin to decide their table positions. Two points were awarded for a win and one point was awarded for a draw. The top tier (NLA) was contested by the top 12 teams from the previous 1959–60 season and the two newly promoted teams Young Fellows Zürich and FC Fribourg. The champions would qualify for the 1962–63 European Cup and the last two teams in the league table at the end of the season were to be relegated.
The second-tier (NLB) was contested by the two teams that had been relegated from the NLA at the end of the last season, Lugano and Bellinzona, the ten teams that had been in third to twelfth position last season and the two newly promoted teams Martigny-Sports and Nordstern. The top two teams at the end of the season would be promoted to the 1961–62 NLA and the two last placed teams would be relegated to the 1961–62 Swiss 1. Liga.
The Swiss champions received a slot in the 1961–62 European Cup and the Swiss Cup winners received a slot in the 1961–62 Cup Winners' Cup. The following summer would see the start of the International Football Cup. The initial rounds would see a group stage and this would take place as a pre-season event. The knock-out stage would then be played during the season. The ASF/SFV were allocated four starting places. These would be given to the four best placed teams in this season. However, if a club was not interested in contesting the slot would be passed down to the next willing club.
Nationalliga A Teams, locations Team Based in Canton Stadium Capacity FC Basel Basel Landhof FC Biel-Bienne Biel/Bienne Stadion Gurzelen FC Chiasso Chiasso Stadio Comunale Riva IV FC Fribourg Fribourg Stade Universitaire Grasshopper Club Zürich Zürich Hardturm FC Grenchen Grenchen Stadium Brühl FC La Chaux-de-Fonds La Chaux-de-Fonds Centre Sportif de la Charrière FC Lausanne-Sport Lausanne Pontaise FC Luzern Lucerne Stadion Allmend Servette FC Geneva Stade des Charmilles FC Winterthur Winterthur Schützenwiese BSC Young Boys Bern Wankdorf Stadium FC Young Fellows Zürich Utogrund FC Zürich Zürich Letzigrund
Final league table
Results
Topscorers Rank Player Nat. Goals Club1. Giuliano Robbiani 27 Grasshopper Club2.Eugen Meier 26 Young Boys Erwin Waldner 26 Zürich 4. René Hamel 23 Grenchen5. Ernst Wechselberger 20 Young Boys6. Bruno Brizzi 19 Zürich 7. Josef Hügi 17 Basel8. Josef "Jupp" Derwall 16 Biel-Bienne Miodrag Glisovic 16 Grenchen Walter Heuri 16 Servette
Nationalliga B Teams, locations Team Based in Canton Stadium Capacity FC Aarau Aarau Stadion Brügglifeld AC Bellinzona Bellinzona Stadio Comunale Bellinzona FC Bern Bern Stadion Neufeld SC Brühl St. Gallen Paul-Grüninger-Stadion FC Cantonal Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Stade de la Maladière FC Lugano Lugano Cornaredo Stadium FC Martigny-Sports Martigny Stade d'Octodure FC Nordstern Basel Basel Rankhof FC Schaffhausen Schaffhausen Stadion Breite FC Sion Sion Stade de Tourbillon FC Thun Thun Stadion Lachen Urania Genève Sport Genève Stade de Frontenex Vevey Sports Vevey Stade de Copet Yverdon-Sport FC Yverdon-les-Bains Stade Municipal
Final league table
Decider for second place Schaffhausen and Bellinzona ended the season level on points, therefore a play-off for promotion was required. The decider match for second place was played on 18 June 1961 at the Stadion Neufeld in Bern.
* Note: The match was abandoned due to pitch invasion in the 68th Minute.
The replay was played on 23 July at Stadion Allmend in Lucerne.
Schaffhausen won and were promoted to 1961–62 Nationalliga A. Bellinzona remained in the division.
Further in Swiss football 1960–61 Swiss Cup 1960–61 Swiss 1. Liga
References
Sources Switzerland 1960–61 at RSSSF