The following is the summary of the Swiss National League in the 1978–79 football season, both Nationalliga A and Nationalliga B. This was the 82nd season of top-tier and the 81st 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 others 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 1979–80 European Cup, the runners-up and third placed team would qualify for the 1979–80 UEFA Cup.
In the following season the format was changed and both tiers would have 14 teams. Therefore, only one team from the NLA was relegated and the top three teams in the NLA were promoted. The bottom two teams in the NLB were relegated to the 1979–80 1. Liga.
Nationalliga A The first round of the NLA was played on 12 August 1978. There was a winter break between 3 December and 4 March 1979. The qualifying phase was completed by 8 April and the second phase took place between 21 April and 23 June 1997.
Teams, locations Team Town Canton Stadium CapacityFC BaselBasel St. Jakob Stadium CS Chênois Thônex Stade des Trois-Chêne FC ChiassoChiasso Stadio Comunale Riva IV Grasshopper Club ZürichZürich HardturmFC Lausanne-SportLausannePontaiseNeuchâtel Xamax FCNeuchâtel Stade de la Maladière FC Nordstern Basel Basel Rankhof FC St. GallenSt. GallenEspenmoosServette FCGenevaStade des CharmillesFC SionSionStade de TourbillonBSC Young BoysBernWankdorf StadiumFC ZürichZürichLetzigrund
Qualifying phase table
Results
Championship group 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 Bern Bern Stadion Neufeld FC Biel-Bienne Biel/Bienne Stadion Gurzelen Étoile Carouge FC Carouge Stade de la Fontenette FC Frauenfeld Frauenfeld Kleine Allmend FC Fribourg Fribourg Stade Universitaire FC Grenchen Grenchen Stadium Brühl SC Kriens Kriens Stadion Kleinfeld FC La Chaux-de-Fonds La Chaux-de-Fonds Centre Sportif de la Charrière Lugano Lugano Cornaredo Stadium Luzern Lucerne Stadion Allmend Vevey-Sports Vevey Stade de Copet FC Wettingen Wettingen Stadion Altenburg FC Winterthur Winterthur Schützenwiese FC Young Fellows Zürich Zürich Utogrund
Final league table
Further in Swiss football 1978–79 Swiss Cup 1978–79 Swiss 1. Liga
References
Sources Switzerland 1978–79 at RSSSF