The 2023–24 Swiss Challenge League (referred to as the Dieci Challenge League for sponsoring reasons) is the 126th season of the second tier of competitive football in Switzerland and the 21st season under its current name.
Overview Teams Due to the increased number of teams in the Super League, from ten to twelve, two teams were directly promoted at the end of the last season and no teams were directly relegated, but third and last placed teams advanced to a promotion and relegation play-off, respectively. The remaining six teams were joined by the best placed eligible teams of the 2022–23 Swiss Promotion League, runners-up Stade Nyonnais and third-placed FC Baden, Stade Nyonnais and Baden returned to second tier after 11 and 17 years absence respectively. Last season's last placed team Neuchâtel Xamax FCS remains in the Challenge League as winners of the relegation play-off. FC Sion, as losers of the promotion play-off, returned to the Challenge League after 17 years in the Super League.
Schedule The Swiss Football League (SFL) released a detailed schedule on 7 December 2022. The season will begin on 21 July 2023 and conclude on 20 May 2024. As before, the league will go on winter break after matchday 18 on 17 December 2023 and resume on 26 January 2024. Promotion play-offs are scheduled for the week following the final matchday. The two legs of the promotion play-offs are scheduled for 26 and 31 May 2024, respectively.
The fixtures of the first 18 rounds were drawn and published on 21 June 2023, together with the match times for the first nine rounds. Matches of European competitors FC Vaduz may be postponed to Sundays in rounds 7, 8, and 9, subject to their performance in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying.
Teams Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity Ref FC Aarau Aarau Stadion Brügglifeld 8,000 FC Baden Fislisbach Esp Stadium 7,000 AC Bellinzona Bellinzona Stadio Comunale 5,000 FC Stade Nyonnais Nyon Stade de Colovray 7,200 FC Schaffhausen Schaffhausen Berformance Arena 8,200 FC SionSionStade Tourbillon14,283 FC Thun Thun Stockhorn Arena 10,014 FC Vaduz Vaduz Rheinpark Stadion 7,584 FC Wil 1900 Wil Lidl Arena 6,958 Neuchâtel Xamax FCS Neuchâtel Stade de la Maladière 11,997
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAarau Ranko Jakovljević Olivier JäcklegpardCredit SuisseBaden Michael Winsauer Patrick MuffmacronBadener TagblattBellinzona Manuel Benavente Matteo TosettiAcerbisSchaffhausen Christian Wimmer Serge MüllerPumaMethabauSion Didier Tholot Reto ZieglerMacronOIKENNyon Christophe Caschili Quentin GaillardAdidasThun Mauro Lustrinelli Marco BürkiMacronSchneider Software AGVaduz Marc Schneider Benjamin BüchelPumaMBPIWil Brunello Iacopetta Kastrijot NdauERIMAWeber und Partner AGLIKA Group AGXamax Uli Forte Kenan FatkičPumagroupe e
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of departure Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment Ref.Aarau Boris Smiljanić Departure28 May 2023Pre-season Alex Frei12 June 2023Bellinzona Fernando Cocimano (interim) End of interim spell13 June 2023 Sandro Chieffo 13 June 2023Schaffhausen Selcuk Sasivari (interim)14 June 2023 Bigi Meier14 June 2023Sion Paolo TramezzaniDeparture15 June 2023 Didier Tholot15 June 2023Bellinzona Sandro ChieffoSacked3 October 20239th Mario Rosas3 October 2023Schaffhausen Bigi Meier29 December 202310th Christian Wimmer29 December 2023Vaduz Martin Stocklasa12 February 20248th Marc Schneider14 February 2024Aarau Alex FreiDeparture25 March 20243rd Ranko Jakovljević (interim)25 March 2024
Number of teams by regions Cantons Team(s)2Aarau, Baden1 Wil Thun Schaffhausen FC Vaduz Nyon Sion Neuchâtel Xamax AC Bellinzona
League table
Results
First and second rounds
Third and fourth rounds
Promotion play-off The relegation play-off will be played in a two-legged game between the eleventh placed team of the Super League (5th of the relegation group) and the second placed team of the Challenge League. The two legs of the relegation play-offs are scheduled for 26 and 31 May 2024, respectively.
The winner of the play-off is whichever teams scores most in both games (no away goals rule). In case of a tie at the end of the two games, 30 minutes of extra time (two times 15 minutes) are added, followed by a penalty shoot-out, in case the teams are still tied.
First leg
Second leg
Grasshopper wins 3–2 on aggregate.
Attendances
References
External links
Soccerway