# 2002–03 Swiss 1. Liga

The 2002–03 Swiss 1. Liga was the 71st season of this league since its creation in 1931 and it was the third tier of the Swiss football league system. The 1. Liga was also the highest level of amateur football, even though there was an ever-increasing number of clubs in this league that played with professional or semi-professional players in their ranks and this not just in the U-21 teams of the professional clubs.

## Format

There were 48 teams in this division this season, including seven U-21 teams, which were the eldest youth teams of the professional clubs in the Super League and the Challenge League. The 1. Liga was divided into three regional groups, each with 16 teams. Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their positions in the league. The three group winners and the three runners-up, together with the two best third placed teams, then contested a play-off for the four promotion slots. The U-21 teams were not eligible for promotion and could not compete the play-offs. The last placed teams in each group were to contest a play-out to decide relegation, two teams would be relegated to the 2. Liga Interregional.

## Group 1
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Baulmes | Vaud | Stade Sous-Ville | 2,500 |
| FC Bex | Vaud | Relais | 2,000 |
| FC Bulle | Fribourg | Stade de Bouleyres | 7,000 |
| FC Echallens | Vaud | Sportplatz 3 Sapins | 2,000 |
| CS Chênois | Geneva | Stade des Trois-Chêne | 8,000 |
| Étoile Carouge FC | Geneva | Stade de la Fontenette | 3,690 |
| FC Fribourg | Fribourg | Stade Universitaire | 9,000 |
| Grand-Lancy FC | Geneva | Stade de Marignac | 1,500 |
| ES FC Malley | Vaud | Centre Sportif de la Tuilière | 1,500 |
| FC Martigny-Sports | Valais | Stade d'Octodure | 2,500 |
| FC Meyrin | Geneva | Stade des Arbères | 9,000 |
| FC Naters | Valais | Sportanlage Stapfen | 3,000 |
| Servette U-21 | Geneva | Stade de la Fontenette or Stade de Frontenex | 3,690 4,000 |
| FC Stade Lausanne Ouchy | Vaud | Centre sportif de Vidy | 1,000 |
| FC Stade Nyonnais | Vaud | Stade de Colovray | 7,200 |
| Vevey Sports | Vaud | Stade de Copet | 4,000 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Meyrin | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 79 | 25 | +54 | 71 | Play-off to Challenge League |
| 2 | FC Bulle | 30 | 17 | 4 | 9 | 58 | 46 | +12 | 55 | Play-off to Challenge League |
| 3 | Servette U-21 | 30 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 52 | 34 | +18 | 52 | |
| 4 | Étoile Carouge FC | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 57 | 41 | +16 | 49 | |
| 5 | FC Echallens | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 57 | 42 | +15 | 49 | |
| 6 | ES FC Malley | 30 | 14 | 3 | 13 | 58 | 52 | +6 | 45 | |
| 7 | FC Martigny-Sports | 30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 53 | 54 | −1 | 41 | |
| 8 | FC Bex | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 62 | 46 | +16 | 40 | |
| 9 | FC Naters | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 45 | 52 | −7 | 40 | |
| 10 | FC Fribourg | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 51 | 55 | −4 | 39 | |
| 11 | FC Stade Lausanne Ouchy | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 38 | 48 | −10 | 36 | |
| 12 | FC Baulmes | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 37 | 50 | −13 | 35 | |
| 13 | CS Chênois | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 38 | 52 | −14 | 33 | |
| 14 | Grand-Lancy FC | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 38 | 64 | −26 | 33 | |
| 15 | Vevey Sports | 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 40 | 68 | −28 | 29 | |
| 16 | FC Stade Nyonnais | 30 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 31 | 65 | −34 | 26 | Play-out against relegation |

## Group 2
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Altstetten | Zürich | Buchlern | 1,000 |
| Aarau U-21 | Aargau | Stadion Brügglifeld | 9,240 |
| Basel U-21 | Basel-City | Stadion Rankhof or Leichtathletik-Stadion St. Jakob | 7,000 4,000 |
| FC Biel-Bienne | Bern | Stadion Gurzelen | 15,000 |
| FC Colombier | Neuchâtel | Stade des Chézards | 2,500 |
| Grasshopper Club U-21 | Zürich | GC/Campus Niederhasli | 2,000 |
| FC Grenchen | Solothurn | Stadium Brühl | 15,100 |
| FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | Neuchâtel | Centre Sportif de la Charrière | 12,700 |
| FC Münsingen | Bern | Sportanlage Sandreutenen | 1,400 |
| SV Schaffhausen | Schaffhausen | Sportplatz Bühl | 1,000 |
| FC Serrières | Neuchâtel | Pierre-à-Bot | 1,700 |
| FC Solothurn | Solothurn | Stadion FC Solothurn | 6,750 |
| FC Wangen bei Olten | Solothurn | Sportplatz Chrüzmatt | 3,000 |
| SC YF Juventus | Zürich | Utogrund | 2,850 |
| SC Zofingen | Aargau | Sportanlagen Trinermatten | 2,000 |
| Zürich U-21 | Zürich | Sportplatz Heerenschürli | 1,120 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | SC Young Fellows Juventus | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 58 | 33 | +25 | 61 | Play-off to Challenge League |
| 2 | FC Wangen bei Olten | 30 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 61 | 33 | +28 | 56 | Play-off to Challenge League |
| 3 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | 30 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 46 | 27 | +19 | 56 | Play-off to Challenge League |
| 4 | FC Solothurn | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 51 | 31 | +20 | 51 | |
| 5 | Basel U-21 | 30 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 66 | 44 | +22 | 48 | |
| 6 | FC Biel-Bienne | 30 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 50 | 34 | +16 | 48 | |
| 7 | SV Schaffhausen | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 42 | |
| 8 | Grasshopper Club U-21 | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 55 | 55 | 0 | 42 | |
| 9 | Zürich U-21 | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 54 | 40 | +14 | 40 | |
| 10 | FC Colombier | 30 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 43 | 43 | 0 | 39 | |
| 11 | FC Serrières | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 35 | 38 | −3 | 38 | |
| 12 | FC Grenchen | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 65 | 59 | +6 | 36 | |
| 13 | FC Altstetten | 30 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 37 | 50 | −13 | 35 | |
| 14 | FC Münsingen | 30 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 33 | 55 | −22 | 24 | |
| 15 | SC Zofingen | 30 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 31 | 83 | −52 | 17 | |
| 16 | Aarau U-21 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 23 | 86 | −63 | 15 | Withdrew from play-out, relegated |

## Group 3
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| GC Biaschesi | Ticino | Campo Sportivo "Al Vallone" | 2,850 |
| SC Buochs | Nidwalden | Stadion Seefeld | 5,000 |
| FC Chiasso | Ticino | Stadio Comunale Riva IV | 4,000 |
| FC Chur 97 | Grisons | Ringstrasse | 2,820 |
| FC Frauenfeld | Thurgau | Kleine Allmend | 6,370 |
| FC Gossau | St. Gallen | Sportanlage Buechenwald | 3,500 |
| FC Kreuzlingen | Thurgau | Sportplatz Hafenareal | 1,200 |
| FC Locarno | Locarno, Ticino | Stadio comunale Lido | 5,000 |
| Luzern U-21 | Lucerne | Stadion Allmend or Allmend Süd | 15,000 2,000 |
| FC Malcantone Agno | Ticino | Cornaredo Stadium | 6,330 |
| FC Mendrisio | Ticino | Centro Sportivo Comunale | 4,000 |
| FC Rapperswil-Jona | St. Gallen | Stadion Grünfeld | 2,500 |
| FC Schötz | Lucerne | Sportplatz Wissenhusen | 1,750 |
| St. Gallen U-21 | St. Gallen | Espenmoos | 11,000 |
| FC Tuggen | Schwyz | Linthstrasse | 2,800 |
| Zug 94 | Zug | Herti Allmend Stadion | 6,000 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Malcantone Agno | 30 | 16 | 13 | 1 | 53 | 25 | +28 | 61 | Play-off to Challenge League |
| 2 | FC Chiasso | 30 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 56 | 31 | +25 | 59 | Play-off to Challenge League |
| 3 | FC Tuggen | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 58 | 35 | +23 | 58 | Play-off to Challenge League |
| 4 | FC Mendrisio | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 48 | 36 | +12 | 48 | |
| 5 | FC Locarno | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 47 | 33 | +14 | 45 | |
| 6 | FC Chur 97 | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 49 | 43 | +6 | 45 | |
| 7 | GC Biaschesi | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 40 | 36 | +4 | 45 | |
| 8 | SC Buochs | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 53 | 40 | +13 | 44 | |
| 9 | St. Gallen U-21 | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 45 | 48 | −3 | 42 | |
| 10 | FC Kreuzlingen | 30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 44 | 52 | −8 | 37 | |
| 11 | Zug 94 | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 29 | 38 | −9 | 33 | |
| 12 | FC Gossau | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 28 | 53 | −25 | 31 | |
| 13 | Luzern U-21 | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 44 | 53 | −9 | 30 | |
| 14 | FC Schötz | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 38 | 50 | −12 | 29 | |
| 15 | FC Frauenfeld | 30 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 34 | 64 | −30 | 25 | |
| 16 | FC Rapperswil-Jona | 30 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 31 | 60 | −29 | 22 | Play-out against relegation |

## Promotion play-off
### Finals

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Tuggen | 2–2 | Meyrin |
| Meyrin | 2–0 | Tuggen |
Meyrin win 4–2 on aggregate and are promoted to 2003–04 Challenge League.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| La Chaux-de-Fonds | 1–0 | Malcantone |
| Malcantone | 3–1 | La Chaux-de-Fonds |
Malcantone win 3–2 on aggregate and are promoted to 2003–04 Challenge League.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Chiasso | 1–1 | Wangen b.O. |
| Wangen b.O. | 3–1 | Chiasso |
Chiasso win 4–2 on aggregate and were promoted to 2003–04 Challenge League.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Bulle | 1–1 | YFJ |
| YFJ | 1–3 | Bulle |
Bulle win 4–1 on aggregate and were promoted to 2003–04 Challenge League.
La Chaux-de-Fonds were later also promoted later on the green table by the Swiss Football Association up to the 2003–04 Challenge League following the fact that FC Sion were refused their licence for that division.

## Play-out against relegation

Aarau U-21 withdrew from play-outs and were so relegated directly. The one remaining match was played in a neutral venue, on May 25 in Solothurn.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Stade Nyonnais | 2–2 | Rapperswil-Jona |
FC Stade Nyonnais win 5–4 in the penalty shoot-out. Rapperswil-Jona were relegated. Stade Nyonnais remain at this level.

## Summary

Group 1 champions were Meyrin, runners-up were Bulle and they both achieved promotion. Group 2 champions were Young Fellows Juventus and runners-up were Wangen b.O. but they both failed in their promotion attempts in the play-offs. Group 3 champions were Malcantone, runners-up Chiasso and both these teams also achieved promotion. Third placed team in group 2 La Chaux-de-Fonds were later also promoted to 2003–04 Challenge League, as best loser, following the fact that FC Sion were refused a licence for that division.
Due to the bankruptcy of FC Lausanne-Sport, who were demoted to the fourth tier, no team from the higher tier would join the 1. Liga. The remaining teams in the division were to be joined in next season by FC Sierre, Young Boys U-21, SC Dornach, FC Seefeld Zürich, FC Red Star Zürich and SC Cham who had all achieved promotion from the 2. Liga Interregional.