# Swiss Challenge League

The Challenge League (known as the Dieci Challenge League for sponsorship reasons) is the second-highest tier of the Swiss football league system and lower of two professional leagues in the country. Ten teams play in the Challenge League; the winners of the league are promoted to the Super League, while the bottom-placed team is relegated to the Promotion League.

## 2024–25 clubs

| Team | Foundation | Hometown | Venue | Capacity |
| FC Aarau | 1902-05-26 | Aarau | Stadion Brügglifeld | 8,000 |
| AC Bellinzona | 1904 | Bellinzona | Stadio Comunale | 5,000 |
| Étoile Carouge | 1904 | Carouge | Stade de la Fontenette | 3,600 |
| Stade Lausanne Ouchy | 1897 | Lausanne | Stade Olympique | 15,850 |
| Stade Nyonnais | 1948 | Nyon | Stade de Colovray | 7,200 |
| FC Schaffhausen | 1896-07-01 | Schaffhausen | LIPO Park Schaffhausen | 8,085 |
| FC Thun | 1898-05-04 | Thun | Stockhorn Arena | 10,000 |
| FC Vaduz | 1932-02-14 | Vaduz | Rheinpark Stadion | 7,584 |
| FC Wil 1900 | 1900 | Wil | Sportpark Bergholz | 6,010 |
| Neuchâtel Xamax | 1912 | Neuchâtel | Stade de la Maladière | 12,000 |
* ↑ Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy's home stadium Stade Juan-Antonio-Samaranch in Lausanne can not accommodate SLO for the Challenge League. SLO will play at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Lausanne.

### Promotion/relegation from 2023–24 season

* FC Sion is promoted to the Swiss Super League as champions of the 2023–24 Swiss Challenge League
* Stade Lausanne Ouchy is relegated from the Swiss Super League as the last placed team
* FC Thun remains in the Swiss Challenge League as the losers of the promotion play-off
* Étoile Carouge are promoted as the champions of the 2023–24 Swiss Promotion League

## History

Previous names :
| Years | German | French | Italian |
| 1898–1922 | Serie B | Serie B | Serie B |
| 1922–1930 | Serie Promotion | Serie Promotion | Serie Promotion |
| 1930–31 | Zweite Liga | 2$^e$ Ligue | Seconda Lega |
| 1931–1944 | Erste Liga | 1$^e$ Ligue | Prima Lega |
| 1944–2003 | Nationalliga B | Ligue Nationale B | Lega Nazionale B |
| 2003–present2008–092012–20212021–present | Challenge LeagueDosenbach Challenge Leaguebrack.ch Challenge Leaguedieci Challenge League | Challenge LeagueDosenbach Challenge Leaguebrack.ch Challenge Leaguedieci Challenge League | Challenge LeagueDosenbach Challenge Leaguebrack.ch Challenge Leaguedieci Challenge League |

### Serie B and Serie Promotion

The Serie B was first carried out in 1898. In the year before, Genevan newspaper La Suisse Sportive organized the first unofficial Swiss Championship, where the Coupe Ruinart was awarded to Grasshopper Club Zürich. The first Serie B was competed for this same cup. The final game was held between Cantonal Lausanne, FC Bern, and Vereinigte St. Gallen, with Cantonal Lausanne beating first FC Bern 2-0 and then Vereinigte St. Gallen 3-2 to win the championship. In the 1900-01 season, Serie B winner Fortuna Basel were the first team to be promoted to the Serie A. In the following two seasons, the second teams of Grasshopper Club Zürich and FC Zürich won the Serie B and thus no teams were promoted. The Serie B was held under this name until 1922. However, records of these times are spotty at best.
In 1922, the league was renamed to Serie Promotion and was split into three regions East, West, and Central with each region further subdivided into two groups. The respective regional group winners played a final game and the three regional champions qualified for the final round. While SC Veltheim [de; es; fr; it; uk] won the first Serie Promotion, all three participants of the final round were promoted to the Serie A. In the following seasons, regional Serie B champions played relegation/promotion playoffs against the last placed of the regional leagues in the Serie A. This format would persist until the 1929–30 season.
Starting in 1930, both Serie A and B were renamed to First and Second League, respectively, and in the season after the Second League become the First League (as the previous First League became known as the National League). These name changes came as a push to create the aforementioned National League, which no longer would be split into regional groups. This reorganization was finally realized for the 1933–34 season, however the First League maintained regional groups. The league was split into a western and eastern group, except in the 1939/40 season where five regional groups were created due to the World War.

### National League B Era

Starting with the 1944–45 season, the National League B (NLB) was created. Fourteen teams, the top seven teams of both groups in the 1943–44 season, minus champions AC Bellinzona, plus the relegated FC Luzern, would participate in the inaugural season. Initially, the top two of the league were promoted, while the bottom two were relegated. In the 1976–77 season, the number of teams was increased to sixteen. After the number of teams was reverted in 1979, the number of teams was increased again in 1981. This increase was also mirrored by the National League A.
For the 1986–87 season, playoffs between the top four of the NLB and the bottom four of the NLA were played, with only two of them getting promoted, as the NLA would reduce the number of teams to twelve for the next season. At the same time the NLB was increased to 24 teams, split once again into two regional groups. Furthermore, the seasons were also split into two stages: a qualifying stage and promotion/relegation stage. During the promotion/relegation stage, the bottom four teams of the NLA would be joined by the top six of both groups. These sixteen teams were once again split into two groups and the top two of both groups would gain promotion to the NLA. For relegation, the bottom six teams of either group were shuffled into two groups, where the bottom two of both groups are relegated to the First League.
The number of teams in the NLB was reduced to 20 in 1993 and further reduced to 16 in 1994. Starting with the 1995–96 season, the NLB was once again reunited and slimmed down to twelve teams. The promotion/relegation and relegation playoffs would also no longer be split into two groups. Both playoffs would be played in a round-robin group with eight teams, with the top four promoted/remaining in the NLA and NLB, respectively. Bottom four would be relegated/remain in the NLB or First League, respectively.

### Challenge League Era

At the beginning of the 20th century, further format changes to the top Swiss leagues were suggested. Starting with the 2003-04 season, the league was renamed to Challenge League. Unlike the top league, the Super League, the Challenge League did not have a title sponsor at first, until the 2008-09 season which was named the Dosenbach Challenge League. The league would again be without a title sponsor for the following four season. Between 2013 and 2021, it was named brack.ch Challenge League and since the 2021–22 season it is called the dieci Challenge League.
The number of participants has fluctuated since the renaming of the league. Initially, the Challenge League had 17 participants, but in the following season it was increased to 18. To make the league more attractive to viewers, it was reduced again to 16 participants in 2008 and then further down to ten in 2012. This last reduction came as a result of the creation of the Promotion League. Similarly, the number of teams relegated and promoted to and from the former First League (later Promotion League) had also fluctuated. With the new Promotion League, it has been a simple 1-up 1-down promotion/relegation format between Challenge League and Promotion League.
Promotion to the Super League had also been restructured along with the name changes. The old promotion/relegation playoffs were scrapped and replaced with the simpler 1-up 1-down format. Between 2003 and 2012, the second placed team of the Challenge League would also play a two-legged promotion/relegation playoff against the second-to-last team of the Super League. This playoff was dropped in 2012 and later reintroduced for the 2018–19 season.

## Results
### Nationalliga B Era

| Season | League Winner | Promoted from playoffs/Promoted as runners up | Teams Relegated |
| 1960–61 | FC Lugano | FC Schaffhausen | Neuchâtel XamaxNordstern Basel |
| 1961–62 | FC Chiasso | FC Sion | FC Martigny-SportsFC Yverdon-Sports |
| 1962–63 | FC Schaffhausen | Neuchâtel Xamax | FC Bodio [fr; it]FC Fribourg |
| 1963–64 | FC Lugano | AC Bellinzona | Etoile Carouge FCFC Vevey-Sports 05 |
| 1964–65 | Urania Genève Sport | Young Fellows Zürich | FC BernFC Schaffhausen |
| 1965–66 | FC Winterthur | FC Moutier [de; fr; it; lt; uk] | FC PorrentruyNeuchâtel Xamax |
| 1966–67 | FC Luzern | AC Bellinzona | Le Locle-Sports [it]Blue Stars Zürich |
| 1967–68 | FC Winterthur | FC St.Gallen | FC Moutier [de; fr; it; lt; uk]FC Bern |
| 1968–69 | FC Wettingen | FC Fribourg | FC BadenFC Solothurn |
| 1969–70 | FC Sion | FC Luzern | FC ThunFC Langenthal [ru] |
| 1970–71 | FC St.Gallen | FC Grenchen | Young Fellows ZürichUrania Genève Sport |
| 1971–72 | FC Chiasso | FC Fribourg | FC MontheyUS Gambarogno |
| 1972–73 | Neuchâtel Xamax | CS Chênois | SC BrühlSC Buochs |
| 1973–74 | FC Luzern | FC Vevey-Sports 05 | Young Fellows ZürichFC Tössfeld [de] |
| 1974–75 | FC Biel-Bienne | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | FC GiubiascoMendrisiostar |
| 1975–76 | AC Bellinzona | - | FC Martigny-SportsFC Wettingen |
| 1976–77 | Étoile Carouge FC | Young Fellows Zürich | MendrisiostarFC Raron [de; fr] |
| 1977–78 | Nordstern Basel | FC Chiasso | FC GossauFC Bulle |
| 1978–79 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | FC LuzernFC Lugano | Étoile Carouge FCYoung Fellows Zürich |
| 1979–80 | AC Bellinzona | Nordstern Basel | FC Raron [de; fr]FC Baden |
| 1980–81 | FC Vevey-Sports 05 | FC AarauFC Bulle | SC Kriens |
| 1981–82 | FC Winterthur | FC Wettingen | Aurore Bienne [fr]FC Altstätten [de; fr]FC Frauenfeld |
| 1982–83 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | FC Chiasso | FC BernFC IbachFC Rüti ZH |
| 1983–84 | SC Zug | FC Winterthur | FC FribourgFC Nordstern BaselFC Red Star Zürich |
| 1984–85 | FC Grenchen | FC Baden | MendrisiostarFC Yverdon-SportsFC Monthey |
| 1985–86 | FC Locarno | AC Bellinzona | FC ZugFC LaufenLe Locle-Sports [it] |
| 1986–87 | FC Grenchen | None | SC Kriens |
| 1987–88 | Étoile Carouge FC (West)FC Lugano (East) | FC WettingenFC Lugano | FC SolothurnFC Vevey-Sports 05FC Wangen bei Olten |
| 1988–89 | FC Yverdon-Sports (West)FC Basel (East) | FC Zürich | FC Biel-BienneRenens FCUrania Genève Sport |
| 1989–90 | FC Fribourg (West)FC Baden (East) | FC Zürich | FC Brüttisellen [de]FC Martigny-SportsFC Zug |
| 1990–91 | FC Yverdon-Sports (West)FC Locarno (South & East) | None | CS ChênoisSC Burgdorf [de]FC Montreux-Sports |
| 1991–92 | FC Basel (West)FC Schaffhausen (South & East) | FC Chiasso | ES MalleySC ZugFC Glarus [de; fr] |
| 1992–93 | FC Yverdon-Sports (West)FC Luzern (East) | FC LuzernSC KriensFC Yverdon-Sports | FC WettingenFC Châtel-St-DenisFC Brüttisellen [de]SC Bümpliz 78FC EmmenbrückeFC ChurFC La Chaux-de-Fonds |
| 1993–94 | Étoile Carouge FC (West)FC Schaffhausen (East) | FC BaselFC St. Gallen | BSC Old BoysFC BulleUrania Genève SportFC ChiassoFC MontheyFC Sursee [ar; de]FC Fribourg |
| 1994–95 | FC Yverdon-Sports (West)SC Kriens (East) | None | AC BellinzonaFC Grenchen |
| 1995–96 | SC Kriens | None | FC ChiassoFC Naters |
| 1996–97 | Étoile Carouge FC | Étoile Carouge FCSC Kriens | FC GossauFC Meyrin |
| 1997–98 | BSC Young Boys | FC LuganoBSC Young Boys | FC WinterthurSV Schaffhausen |
| 1998–99 | FC Wil | SR DelémontFC Yverdon-Sports | FC LocarnoFC Chiasso |
| 1999–2000 | AC Bellinzona | FC Sion | Stade NyonnaisFC Schaffhausen |
| 2000–01 | BSC Young Boys | BSC Young Boys | FC Wangen bei OltenFC Solothurn |
| 2001–02 | FC Wil 1900 | FC Wil 1900FC Thun | FC LocarnoÉtoile Carouge FC |
| 2002–03 | FC Vaduz | None | FC Lugano$^1$FC Lausanne-Sport$^1$FC Sion$^1$ |
$^1$ FC Lugano and FC Lausanne-Sport went bankrupt which meant that no team was relegated due to their league position. FC Sion were not awarded a license for the 2003–04 season resulted in an extra team being promoted.

### Challenge League Era

The league statistics of the Challenge League era:
| Year | 1st Position | 2nd Position | Playoff result | Relegated |
| 2003–04 | Schaffhausen | Vaduz | Neuchâtel Xamax 2:0 Vaduz Vaduz 2:1 Neuchâtel Xamax Neuchâtel Xamax won 3:2 on aggregate | Delémont |
| 2004–05 | Yverdon-Sport | Vaduz | Schaffhausen 1:1 Vaduz Vaduz 0:1 Schaffhausen Schaffhausen won 2:1 on aggregate | Baden Bulle |
| 2005–06 | Luzern | Sion | Sion 0:0 Neuchâtel Xamax Neuchâtel Xamax 0:3 Sion Sion won 3:0 on aggregate | Baden Meyrin |
| 2006–07 | Neuchâtel Xamax | Bellinzona | Bellinzona 1:2 Aarau Aarau 3:1 Bellinzona Aarau won 5:2 on aggregate | Baulmes YF Juventus |
| 2007–08 | Vaduz | Bellinzona | Bellinzona 3:2 St. Gallen St. Gallen 0:2 Bellinzona Bellinzona won 5:2 on aggregate | Delémont Kriens Chiasso Cham |
| 2008–09 | St. Gallen | Lugano | Lugano 1:0 Luzern Luzern 5:0 Lugano Luzern won 5:1 on aggregate | Locarno Gossau |
| 2009–10 | Thun | Lugano | Bellinzona 2:1 Lugano Lugano 0:0 Bellinzona Bellinzona won 2:1 on aggregate | Le Mont Gossau |
| 2010–11 | Lausanne | Servette | Bellinzona 1:0 Servette Servette 3:1 Bellinzona Servette won 3:2 on aggregate | Schaffhausen Yverdon |
| 2011–12 | St. Gallen | Aarau | Sion 3:0 Aarau Aarau 1:0 Sion Sion won 3:1 on aggregate | Nyon Carouge Delémont Kriens Brühl |
| 2012–13 | Aarau | Bellinzona | | Locarno |
| 2013–14 | Vaduz | Lugano | | Locarno |
| 2014–15 | Lugano | Servette | | Biel/Bienne |
| 2015–16 | Lausanne | Wil | | Biel/Bienne |
| 2016–17 | Zürich | Neuchâtel Xamax | | Wil< |
| 2017–18 | Neuchâtel Xamax | Schaffhausen | | Wohlen |
| 2018–19 | Servette | Aarau | Neuchâtel Xamax 0:4 Aarau Aarau 0:4 (4:5 p) Neuchâtel Xamax Xamax won after 4:4 on aggregate and 5:4 in penalty shootout. | Rapperswil-Jona |
| 2019–20 | Lausanne | Vaduz | Vaduz 2:0 Thun Thun 4:3 Vaduz Vaduz won 5:4 on aggregate. | none |
| 2020–21 | Grasshoppers | Thun | Thun 1:4 Sion Sion 2:3 Thun Sion won 6:4 on aggregate. | Chiasso |
| 2021–22 | Winterthur | Schaffhausen | Schaffhausen 2-2 Luzern Luzern 2-0 Schaffhausen Luzern won 4:2 on aggregate. | Kriens |
| 2022–23 | Yverdon | Lausanne | Promotion play-off: Sion 0–2 Lausanne Ouchy Lausanne Ouchy 4–2 Sion Lausanne Ouchy wins 6–2 on aggregate Relegation play-off: Rapperswil-Jona 1–3 Xamax Xamax 3–0 Rapperswil-Jona Xamax wins 6–1 on aggregate | none |
| 2023–24 | Sion | Thun | Grasshopper 1–1 Thun Thun 1–2 Grasshopper Grasshopper wins 3–2 on aggregate. | Baden |