# 1996–97 Nationalliga A

Statistics of Swiss National League in the 1996–97 football season.

## Overview

The 24 teams of the Swiss Football League (Nationalliga) were divided into two divisions. Both Nationalliga A (NLA) and Nationalliga B (NLB) were contested by 12 teams, with each team playing a double round-robin in the qualification phase. Thereafter, the divisions were divided into a championship group, a NLA/NLB promotion/relegation group and a relegation group NLB/1. Liga, each group with eight teams.

## Nationalliga A
### Qualification phase

The first stage of the NLA began on 10 July 1996 and was completed on 1 December. The top eight teams in the qualification phase would advance to the championship group and the last four teams would play against relegation.

#### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Xamax | 22 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 36 | 20 | +16 | 44 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 2 | Grasshopper Club | 22 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 42 | 27 | +15 | 39 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 3 | Sion | 22 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 33 | 21 | +12 | 37 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 4 | Aarau | 22 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 14 | +7 | 35 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 5 | Lausanne-Sports | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 35 | 32 | +3 | 34 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 6 | St. Gallen | 22 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 26 | −6 | 28 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 7 | Zürich | 22 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 24 | 25 | −1 | 27 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 8 | Basel | 22 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 26 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 9 | Servette | 22 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 24 | 25 | −1 | 24 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 10 | Luzern | 22 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 27 | 32 | −5 | 23 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 11 | Lugano | 22 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 32 | −18 | 15 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 12 | Young Boys | 22 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 17 | 39 | −22 | 12 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | AAR | BAS | GCZ | LS | LUG | LUZ | NX | SIO | SER | STG | ZÜR | YB |
| Aarau | | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Basel | 2–0 | | 4–5 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Grasshopper Club | 0–0 | 4–2 | | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 6–2 |
| Lausanne-Sport | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 |
| Lugano | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 |
| Luzern | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | | 2–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Neuchâtel Xamax | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Sion | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 |
| Servette | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| St. Gallen | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Zürich | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | | 0–1 |
| Young Boys | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | |

### Championship group

The first eight teams of the qualification phase competed in the Championship round. The teams took half of the points (rounded up to complete units) gained in the qualification as bonus with them.

#### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | BP | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sion | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 19 | 49 | Swiss champions, qualified for 1997–98 Champions League |
| 2 | Xamax | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 14 | +8 | 22 | 46 | qualified for 1997–98 UEFA Cup |
| 3 | Grasshopper Club | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 37 | 18 | +19 | 20 | 45 | qualified for 1997–98 UEFA Cup |
| 4 | Lausanne-Sports | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 17 | 43 | entered 1997 UEFA Intertoto Cup |
| 5 | Aarau | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 22 | −5 | 18 | 31 | entered 1997 UEFA Intertoto Cup |
| 6 | St. Gallen | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 26 | −13 | 14 | 27 | |
| 7 | Zürich | 14 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 18 | −9 | 14 | 24 | |
| 8 | Basel | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 28 | −12 | 13 | 24 | |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | AAR | BAS | GCZ | LS | NX | SIO | STG | ZÜR |
| Aarau | | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Basel | 3–2 | | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 |
| Grasshopper Club | 4–2 | 4–1 | | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 8–0 | 1–1 |
| Lausanne-Sport | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| Neuchâtel Xamax | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Sion | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| St. Gallen | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 1–2 |
| Zürich | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | |

### Attendances

| # | Football club | Average attendance |
| 1 | FC Basel | 10,811 |
| 2 | FC Sion | 10,739 |
| 3 | Xamax Neuchâtel | 8,925 |
| 4 | FC Luzern | 8,718 |
| 5 | FC St. Gallen | 8,200 |
| 6 | Grasshopper Club Zürich | 7,981 |
| 7 | Lausanne-Sport | 6,994 |
| 8 | FC Zürich | 5,883 |
| 9 | Servette FC | 4,956 |
| 10 | BSC Young Boys | 4,868 |
| 11 | FC Aarau | 4,622 |
| 12 | FC Lugano | 2,447 |

## Nationalliga B
### Qualification phase

The NLB was contested by 12 teams with each team playing each other twice in the qualification phase. The first stage began on 13 July 1996 and was completed on 23 November. The division was then separated into a NLA/NLB promotion/relegation group and a relegation group to the 1. Liga. The top four teams would play for promotion and the last eight teams would play against relegation.

#### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Étoile Carouge | 22 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 39 | 20 | +19 | 42 | Advance to promotion/relegation NLA/LNB round |
| 2 | FC Schaffhausen | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 32 | 18 | +14 | 42 | Advance to promotion/relegation NLA/LNB round |
| 3 | Kriens | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 25 | +15 | 41 | Advance to promotion/relegation NLA/LNB round |
| 4 | Solothurn | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 28 | 26 | +2 | 37 | Advance to promotion/relegation NLA/LNB round |
| 5 | Yverdon-Sport | 22 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 34 | 26 | +8 | 35 | Continue to relegation round NLB/1. Liga halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 6 | Winterthur | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 34 | Continue to relegation round NLB/1. Liga halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 7 | Locarno | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 27 | +1 | 28 | Continue to relegation round NLB/1. Liga halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 8 | Wil | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 33 | 30 | +3 | 27 | Continue to relegation round NLB/1. Liga halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 9 | Baden | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 29 | 30 | −1 | 27 | Continue to relegation round NLB/1. Liga halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 10 | Delémont | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 30 | 44 | −14 | 20 | Continue to relegation round NLB/1. Liga halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 11 | Gossau | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 29 | 50 | −21 | 16 | Continue to relegation round NLB/1. Liga halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 12 | Meyrin | 22 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 15 | 50 | −35 | 10 | Continue to relegation round NLB/1. Liga halved points (rounded up) as bonus |

### Promotion/relegation group NLA/NLB

The teams in the ninth to twelfth positions in Nationalliga A competed with the top four teams of Nationalliga B in a Nationalliga A/B promotion/relegation round. The teams played a double round-robin.

#### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Servette | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 25 | Remain in 1997–98 Nationalliga A |
| 2 | Étoile Carouge | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 13 | +2 | 24 | Promoted |
| 3 | Luzern | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 12 | +4 | 23 | Remain in 1997–98 Nationalliga A |
| 4 | Kriens | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 22 | 16 | +6 | 22 | Promoted |
| 5 | Young Boys | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 17 | +2 | 20 | Relegated |
| 6 | Solothurn | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 17 | −8 | 14 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 7 | Lugano | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 17 | −6 | 11 | Relegated |
| 8 | FC Schaffhausen | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 21 | −8 | 11 | Remain in Nationalliga B |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | ÉTO | KRI | LUG | LUZ | SHA | SER | SOL | YB |
| Étoile Carouge | | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Kriens | 0–0 | | 2–1 | 3–0 | 6–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Lugano | 0–1 | 2–0 | | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 |
| Luzern | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Schaffhausen | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 |
| Servette | 0–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Solothurn | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | 1–0 |
| Young Boys | 4–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 3–0 | |

### Relegation group NLB/1. Liga

The last eight teams of the qualification phase competed in the relegation group against relegation to the 1. Liga. The teams took half of the points (rounded up to complete units) gained in the qualification as bonus with them.

#### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | BP | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Winterthur | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 13 | +8 | 17 | 43 | Remain in NLB |
| 2 | Baden | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 20 | +8 | 14 | 39 | Remain in NLB |
| 3 | Wil | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 14 | 35 | Remain in NLB |
| 4 | Yverdon-Sport | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 21 | −4 | 18 | 34 | Remain in NLB |
| 5 | Locarno | 14 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 33 | Remain in NLB |
| 6 | Delémont | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 28 | 24 | +4 | 10 | 30 | Remain in NLB |
| 7 | Gossau | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 8 | 24 | Relegated to 1. Liga |
| 8 | Meyrin | 14 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 23 | −10 | 5 | 14 | Relegated to 1. Liga |