The following is the summary of the Swiss National League in the 1977–78 football season, both Nationalliga A and Nationalliga B. This was the 81st season of top-tier and the 80th season of second-tier football in Switzerland.
Overview The Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) had 28 members at this time. The clubs were divided into two tiers, the top tier Nationalliga A (NLA) with 12 teams and the second tier Nationalliga B (NLB) with 16. The format in both divisions was that 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. Each club playing every other club twice (home and away), for a total of 22 rounds in the NLA and 30 rounds in the NLB.
In the NLA following this first qualification stage the division was divided in two, the top placed six teams then played a championship stage and the other teams in a relegation play-out. In both groups each team took half of the points gained in the first stage, rounded up to complete units, as bonus with them. They played a further double round-robin within the group. The Swiss champions would qualify for the 1978–79 European Cup, the runners-up and third placed team would qualify for the 1978–79 UEFA Cup. From the play-out group the bottom two teams were relegated to the second-tier. From the NLB the top two teams were promoted and the bottom two teams relegated to the 1978–79 1. Liga.
Nationalliga A The first round of the NLA was played on 13 August 1977. There was a winter break between 11 December and 26 February 1978. The qualifying phase was completed by 25 March and the second phase took place between 1 April and 27 May 1978.
Teams, locations Team Town Canton Stadium CapacityFC BaselBasel St. Jakob Stadium CS Chênois Thônex Stade des Trois-Chêne Étoile Carouge FC Carouge Stade de la Fontenette Grasshopper Club ZürichZürich HardturmFC Lausanne-SportLausannePontaiseNeuchâtel Xamax FCNeuchâtel Stade de la Maladière FC St. GallenSt. GallenEspenmoosServette FCGenevaStade des CharmillesFC SionSionStade de TourbillonBSC Young BoysBernWankdorf Stadium FC Young Fellows Zürich Zürich Utogrund FC ZürichZürichLetzigrund
Qualifying phase table
Results
Championship table
Results
Relegation play-out
Results
Nationalliga B Teams, locations Team Town Canton Stadium Capacity FC Aarau Aarau Stadion Brügglifeld AC Bellinzona Bellinzona Stadio Comunale Bellinzona FC Biel-Bienne Biel/Bienne Stadion Gurzelen FC Bulle Bulle Stade de Bouleyres FC ChiassoChiasso Stadio Comunale Riva IV FC Fribourg Fribourg Stade Universitaire FC Gossau Gossau Sportanlage Buechenwald FC Grenchen Grenchen Stadium Brühl SC Kriens Kriens Stadion Kleinfeld FC La Chaux-de-Fonds La Chaux-de-Fonds Centre Sportif de la Charrière FC Lugano Lugano Cornaredo Stadium FC Luzern Lucerne Stadion Allmend FC Nordstern Basel Basel Rankhof Vevey-Sports Vevey Stade de Copet FC Wettingen Wettingen Stadion Altenburg FC Winterthur Winterthur Schützenwiese
Final league table
Further in Swiss football 1977–78 Swiss Cup 1977–78 Swiss 1. Liga
References
Sources Switzerland 1977–78 at RSSSF