The 1997–98 Swiss 1. Liga was the 66th season of this league since its creation in 1931. At this time, the 1. Liga was the third tier of the Swiss football league system and it was the highest level of amateur football.
Format There were 56 clubs in the 1. Liga, divided into four regional groups of 14 teams. Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position. The four group winners and the four runners-up then contested a play-off for the two promotion slots. The two last placed teams in each group were directly relegated to the 2. Liga Interregional (fourth tier). The four third last placed teams would compete a play-out against the ninth relegation place.
Group 1 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacityFC BexVaudRelaisCS ChênoisGenevaStade des Trois-ChêneFC EchallensVaudSportplatz 3 SapinsFC GlandVaudCentre sportif En BordGrand-Lancy FCGenevaStade de MarignacFC Stade LausanneVaudCentre sportif de VidyFC Le MontVaudCentre Sportif du ChâtaignierFC Martigny-SportsValaisStade d'OctodureFC MeyrinGenevaStade des ArbèresFC MontheyValaisStade Philippe PottierFC NatersValaisSportanlage StapfenFC Stade NyonnaisVaudStade de ColovrayFC RenensWaadtZone sportive du CensuyVevey SportsVaudStade de Copet
Final league table
Group 2 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacityFC AlleJuraCentre Sportif RégionalFC Biel-BienneBernStadion GurzelenFC BulleFribourgStade de BouleyresSC Bümpliz 78BernBodenweidFC ColombierNeuchâtelStade des ChézardsFC FribourgFribourgStade UniversitaireFC GrenchenSolothurnStadium BrühlFC KönizBernSportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut FC La Chaux-de-Fonds Neuchâtel Centre Sportif de la Charrière SV LyssBernSportzentrum GrienFC MarlyFribourgStade de la GérineFC MünsingenBernSportanlage SandreutenenFC SerrièresNeuchâtelPierre-à-BotFC Wangen bei OltenSolothurnSportplatz Chrüzmatt
Final league table
Group 3 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacityFC AsconaTicinoStadio Comunale AsconaAC BellinzonaTicinoStadio Comunale BellinzonaGC BiaschesiTicinoCampo Sportivo "Al Vallone"SC BuochsNidwaldenStadion SeefeldFC ChiassoTicinoStadio Comunale Riva IVFC Concordia BaselBasel-CityStadion RankhofSC DornachSolothurnGigerslochFC HochdorfLucerneArenaFC MuriAargauStadion BrühlSV MuttenzBasel-CountrySportplatz MargelackerFC RiehenBasel-CitySportplatz GrendelmatteFC SchötzLucerneSportplatz WissenhusenFC SurseeLucerneStadion Schlottermilch FC Wohlen Aargau Stadion Niedermatten
Final league table
Group 4 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacityFC AltstettenZürichBuchlernFC BülachZürichStadion ErachfeldFC FrauenfeldThurgauKleine AllmendFC FreienbachSchwyzChrummenFC GossauSt. GallenSportanlage BuechenwaldFC KreuzlingenThurgauSportplatz HafenarealFC Rapperswil-JonaSt. GallenStadion GrünfeldFC Red Star ZürichZürichAllmend BrunauFC RorschachSchwyzSportplatz KellenFC SchwamendingenZürichSportanlage HeerenschürliFC TuggenSchwyzLinthstrasseFC Vaduz LiechtensteinRheinpark StadionSC YF JuventusZürichUtogrundZug 94ZugHerti Allmend Stadion
Final league table
Decider Because the teams from FC Gossau and Zug 94 ended the season level on points they had to play a league positions decider. The match was played on a neutral ground and it took place on 19 May 1998 in Allmend Brunau (Zürich).
Zug 94 win the decider and advance to play-offs.
Promotion play-offs Qualification round
Muttenz win 6–2 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
Stade Nyonnais win 2–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
Chiasso win 2–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
Aggregate 4–4. Serrières win in overtime and continue to the finals.
Final round
Stade Nyonnais win 4–2 on aggregate and are promoted to Nationalliga B.
Chiasso win 4–0 on aggregate and are promoted to Nationalliga B.
Relegation play-out First round
SV Lyss continue to the final.
Dornach continue to the final.
Final round
SV Lyss win 7–1 on aggregate. Dornach are relegated to 2. Liga.
See also 1997–98 Nationalliga A 1997–98 Nationalliga B 1997–98 Swiss Cup
References
Sources Switzerland 1997–98 at RSSSF