The 1980–81 1. Liga was the 49th 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, each with 14 teams. Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position. Two points were awarded for a win. The four group winners and the four runners-up contested a play-off round to decide the five promotion slots. The two last placed teams in each group were directly relegated to the 2. Liga (fourth tier).
The promotion round was played in two regional groups. The four top placed teams from groups 1 and 2 were in group West and the four top placed teams from groups 3 and 4 were in group East. Within each of these groups the teams contested another double round-robin. The first two teams in each group were directly promoted, while both the third placed teams had to contest a two-legged play-off, the winner of which was also promoted as fifth team to the 1981–82 Nationalliga B.
Group 1 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Central Fribourg Fribourg Guintzet FC Concordia Lausanne Vaud Centre sportif de la Tuilière Étoile Carouge FC Geneva Stade de la Fontenette FC Fétigny Fribourg Stade Communal Fétigny FC Leytron Valais Stade Saint-Martin ES FC Malley Vaud Centre sportif de la Tuilière FC Martigny-Sports Valais Stade d'Octodure FC Monthey Valais Stade Philippe Pottier FC Montreux-Sports Vaud Stade de Chailly FC Orbe Vaud Stade du Puisoir FC Raron Valais Sportplatz Rhoneglut FC Renens Waadt Zone sportive du Censuy FC Stade LausanneVaud Centre sportif de Vidy FC Stade Nyonnais Vaud Stade de Colovray
Final league table
Group 2 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Allschwil Basel-Country Im Brüel, Allschwil FC Aurore Bienne Bern Tilleul-Linde SC Binningen Basel-Country Spiegelfeld FC Birsfelden Basel-Country Sternenfeld US Boncourt Jura Stade Communal Léon Burrus FC Breitenbach Solothurn Grien FC Boudry Neuchâtel Stade des Buchilles SR Delémont Jura La Blancherie SC DerendingenSolothurnHeidenegg FC Köniz Bern Sportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut FC Laufen Basel-Country Sportplatz Nau SV Muttenz Basel-Country Sportplatz Margelacker FC Solothurn Solothurn Stadion FC Solothurn FC Superga Neuchâtel Collège de la Charrière
Final league table
Group 3 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Baden Aargau Esp Stadium FC Blue Stars Zürich ZürichHardhof SC Burgdorf canton of Bern Stadion Neumatt SC Buochs Nidwalden Stadion Seefeld FC Herzogenbuchsee Bern Waldäcker FC Ibach Schwyz Gerbihof SC Emmen Lucerne Sportanlage Feldbreite FC Emmenbrücke Lucerne Stadion Gersag FC Lerchenfeld Bern Sportanlagen Waldeck FC Oberentfelden Aargau Schützenrain FC Suhr Aargau Hofstattmatten FC Sursee Lucerne Stadion Schlottermilch FC Young Fellows Zürich Zürich Utogrund SC Zug Zug Herti Allmend Stadion
Final league table
Group 4 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Altstätten (St. Gallen)St. Gallen Grüntal Altstätten FC Bad Ragaz St. Gallen Ri-Au FC Balzers Liechtenstein Sportplatz Rheinau FC Gossau St. Gallen Sportanlage Buechenwald FC Küsnacht Zürich Sportanlage Heslibach FC Locarno Locarno, Ticino Stadio comunale Lido US Morobbia Giubiasco Ticino Campo Semine FC Morbio Ticino Campo comunale Balerna FC Rüti Zürich Schützenwiese FC Schaffhausen Schaffhausen Stadion Breite FC Stäfa Zürich Sportanlage Frohberg FC Turicum Zürich Hardhof FC Uzwil St. Gallen Rüti FC Vaduz Liechtenstein Rheinpark Stadion
Final league table
Promotion round Group West
Group East
Decider for second place in group East The decider match for second group place was played on 29 June in Näfels
FC Locarno win and are promoted to 1981–82 Nationalliga B. FC Altstätten continue to decider for fifth position.
Decider for fifth league position The decider matches for fifth promotion place were played on 28 June and 1 July.
FC Altstätten win and are promoted to 1981–82 Nationalliga B. FC Stade Lausanne remain in the division.
Decider for 1. Liga championship The championship decider was played on 28 June in Ibach.
FC Ibach win and are 1. Liga champions.
Further in Swiss football 1980–81 Nationalliga A 1980–81 Nationalliga B 1980–81 Swiss Cup
References
Sources Switzerland 1980–81 at RSSSF