The 1979–80 1. Liga was the 48th 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. These were 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 first play-off round to decide the two promotion slots. The two last placed teams in each group were directly relegated to the 2. Liga (fourth tier).
Group 1 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Bulle Fribourg Stade de Bouleyres 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 Meyrin Geneva Stade des Arbères FC Monthey Valais Stade Philippe Pottier FC Montreux-Sports Vaud Stade de Chailly FC Orbe Vaud Stade du Puisoir FC Renens Waadt Zone sportive du Censuy FC Stade LausanneVaud Centre sportif de Vidy FC Stade Nyonnais Vaud Stade de Colovray FC Visp Valais Sportplatz Mühleye
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 Boudry Neuchâtel Stade des Buchilles FC Central Fribourg Fribourg Guintzet SR Delémont Jura La Blancherie SC Düdingen Fribourg Stadion Birchhölzli FC Köniz Bern Sportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut FC Laufen Basel-Country Sportplatz Nau FC Lengnau Bern Moos Lengnau BE FC Lerchenfeld canton of Bern Sportanlagen Waldeck SV Muttenz Basel-Country Sportplatz Margelacker
Final league table
Decider for second place The decider match for second place was played on 28 May in La Blancherie in Delémont
SV Muttenz win after the penalty shoot-out and advance to play-offs. FC Aurore Bienne remain in the division.
Group 3 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Blue Stars Zürich ZürichHardhof SC Derendingen Solothurn Heidenegg SC Emmen Lucerne Sportanlage Feldbreite FC Emmenbrücke Lucerne Stadion Gersag FC Oberentfelden Aargau Schützenrain FC Glattbrugg Zürich Sportanlage Au FC Herzogenbuchsee Bern Waldäcker FC Schaffhausen Schaffhausen Stadion Breite FC Solothurn Solothurn Stadion FC Solothurn FC Suhr Aargau Hofstattmatten FC Sursee Lucerne Stadion Schlottermilch FC Turicum Zürich Hardhof FC Unterstrass Zürich Steinkluppe FC Young Fellows Zürich Zürich Utogrund
Final league table
Decider for twelfth place The decider was played on 1 June in Baden.
FC Herzogenbuchsee win and remain in the division. FC Glattbrugg are relegated to 2. Liga Interregional.
Group 4 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Altstätten (St. Gallen)St. Gallen Grüntal Altstätten FC Balzers Liechtenstein Sportplatz Rheinau SC Brühl St. Gallen Paul-Grüninger-Stadion FC Gossau St. Gallen Sportanlage Buechenwald FC Ibach Schwyz Gerbihof FC Locarno Locarno, Ticino Stadio comunale Lido Mendrisiostar Ticino Centro Sportivo Comunale FC Morbio Ticino Campo comunale Balerna FC Rüti Zürich Schützenwiese FC Stäfa Zürich Sportanlage Frohberg FC Uzwil St. Gallen Rüti FC Vaduz Liechtenstein Rheinpark Stadion SC Zug Zug Herti Allmend Stadion FC Zug Zug Herti Allmend Stadion
Final league table
Decider for twelfth place The decider was played on 1 June in Zürich.
SC Zug win and remain in division. SC Brühl are relegated to 2. Liga Interregional.
Promotion play-off Qualification round
FC Bulle win 5–3 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
Mendrisiostar win 5–0 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
FC Emmen win 3–2 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
FC Laufen win 5–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
Final round
FC Bulle win 3–0 on aggregate and are promoted to 1980–81 Nationalliga B. FC Emmen remain in the division.
1st match abandoned after 6' due to rainfall: replay June 29 in Laufen. Mendrisiostar win 4–2 on aggregate and are promoted to 1980–81 Nationalliga B. FC Laufen remain in the division.
Further in Swiss football 1979–80 Nationalliga A 1979–80 Nationalliga B 1979–80 Swiss Cup
References
Sources Switzerland 1979–80 at RSSSF