# 1980–81 Swiss 1. Liga

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

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Central Fribourg | Fribourg | Guintzet | 2,000 |
| FC Concordia Lausanne | Vaud | Centre sportif de la Tuilière | 1,000 |
| Étoile Carouge FC | Geneva | Stade de la Fontenette | 3,690 |
| FC Fétigny | Fribourg | Stade Communal Fétigny | 500 |
| FC Leytron | Valais | Stade Saint-Martin | 1,000 |
| ES FC Malley | Vaud | Centre sportif de la Tuilière | 1,500 |
| FC Martigny-Sports | Valais | Stade d'Octodure | 2,500 |
| FC Monthey | Valais | Stade Philippe Pottier | 1,800 |
| FC Montreux-Sports | Vaud | Stade de Chailly | 1,000 |
| FC Orbe | Vaud | Stade du Puisoir | 1,000 |
| FC Raron | Valais | Sportplatz Rhoneglut | 1,000 |
| FC Renens | Waadt | Zone sportive du Censuy | 2,300 |
| FC Stade Lausanne | Vaud | Centre sportif de Vidy | 1,000 |
| FC Stade Nyonnais | Vaud | Stade de Colovray | 7,200 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Monthey | 26 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 57 | 17 | +40 | 44 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Stade Lausanne | 26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 54 | 43 | +11 | 31 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 3 | Etoile Carouge FC | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 54 | 39 | +15 | 30 | |
| 4 | FC Renens | 26 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 47 | 35 | +12 | 29 | |
| 5 | FC Orbe | 26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 61 | 58 | +3 | 28 | |
| 6 | FC Martigny-Sports | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 46 | 42 | +4 | 27 | |
| 7 | FC Montreux-Sports | 26 | 10 | 4 | 12 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 24 | |
| 8 | FC Raron | 26 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 28 | 30 | −2 | 24 | |
| 9 | ES FC Malley | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 35 | 44 | −9 | 23 | |
| 10 | FC Fétigny | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 38 | 53 | −15 | 23 | |
| 11 | FC Leytron | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 42 | 55 | −13 | 22 | |
| 12 | FC Stade Nyonnais | 26 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 37 | 49 | −12 | 21 | |
| 13 | FC Concordia Lausanne | 26 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 50 | 66 | −16 | 19 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |
| 14 | Central Fribourg | 26 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 43 | 62 | −19 | 19 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |

## Group 2
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Allschwil | Basel-Country | Im Brüel, Allschwil | 1,700 |
| FC Aurore Bienne | Bern | Tilleul-Linde | 1,000 |
| SC Binningen | Basel-Country | Spiegelfeld | 1,800 |
| FC Birsfelden | Basel-Country | Sternenfeld | 9,400 |
| US Boncourt | Jura | Stade Communal Léon Burrus | 1,640 |
| FC Breitenbach | Solothurn | Grien | 2,000 |
| FC Boudry | Neuchâtel | Stade des Buchilles | 1,500 |
| SR Delémont | Jura | La Blancherie | 5,263 |
| SC Derendingen | Solothurn | Heidenegg | 1,500 |
| FC Köniz | Bern | Sportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut | 2,600 |
| FC Laufen | Basel-Country | Sportplatz Nau | 3,000 |
| SV Muttenz | Basel-Country | Sportplatz Margelacker | 3,200 |
| FC Solothurn | Solothurn | Stadion FC Solothurn | 6,750 |
| FC Superga | Neuchâtel | Collège de la Charrière | 1,000 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Aurore Bienne | 26 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 54 | 29 | +25 | 34 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Birsfelden | 26 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 34 | 26 | +8 | 33 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 3 | SR Delémont | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 39 | 24 | +15 | 32 | |
| 4 | FC Laufen | 26 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 39 | 26 | +13 | 31 | |
| 5 | FC Breitenbach | 26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 32 | 28 | +4 | 31 | |
| 6 | FC Köniz | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 41 | 44 | −3 | 28 | |
| 7 | FC Superga | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 33 | 31 | +2 | 27 | |
| 8 | FC Boudry | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 34 | 40 | −6 | 24 | |
| 9 | SC Derendingen | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 31 | 36 | −5 | 23 | |
| 10 | FC Solothurn | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 40 | 47 | −7 | 22 | |
| 11 | FC Allschwil | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 33 | 40 | −7 | 22 | |
| 12 | US Boncourt | 26 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 33 | 43 | −10 | 22 | |
| 13 | SV Muttenz | 26 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 38 | 41 | −3 | 20 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |
| 14 | SC Binningen | 26 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 51 | −26 | 15 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |

## Group 3
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Baden | Aargau | Esp Stadium | 7,000 |
| FC Blue Stars Zürich | Zürich | Hardhof | 1,000 |
| SC Burgdorf | canton of Bern | Stadion Neumatt | 3,850 |
| SC Buochs | Nidwalden | Stadion Seefeld | 5,000 |
| FC Herzogenbuchsee | Bern | Waldäcker | 1,000 |
| FC Ibach | Schwyz | Gerbihof | 3,300 |
| SC Emmen | Lucerne | Sportanlage Feldbreite | 500 |
| FC Emmenbrücke | Lucerne | Stadion Gersag | 8,700 |
| FC Lerchenfeld | Bern | Sportanlagen Waldeck | 2,400 |
| FC Oberentfelden | Aargau | Schützenrain | 1,500 |
| FC Suhr | Aargau | Hofstattmatten | 2,000 |
| FC Sursee | Lucerne | Stadion Schlottermilch | 3,500 |
| FC Young Fellows Zürich | Zürich | Utogrund | 2,850 |
| SC Zug | Zug | Herti Allmend Stadion | 6,000 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Emmenbrücke | 26 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 60 | 37 | +23 | 34 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Ibach | 26 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 38 | 20 | +18 | 34 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 3 | SC Zug | 26 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 52 | 32 | +20 | 33 | |
| 4 | FC Sursee | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 42 | 35 | +7 | 32 | |
| 5 | SC Buochs | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 45 | 37 | +8 | 27 | |
| 6 | FC Oberentfelden | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 27 | |
| 7 | FC Suhr | 26 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 41 | 48 | −7 | 26 | |
| 8 | FC Baden | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 34 | 35 | −1 | 25 | |
| 9 | SC Burgdorf | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 23 | |
| 10 | FC Emmen | 26 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 23 | |
| 11 | FC Blue Stars Zürich | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 31 | 40 | −9 | 22 | |
| 12 | SC Young Fellows | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 29 | 44 | −15 | 22 | |
| 13 | FC Herzogenbuchsee | 26 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 27 | 42 | −15 | 18 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |
| 14 | FC Lerchenfeld | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 37 | 50 | −13 | 18 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |

## Group 4
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Altstätten (St. Gallen) | St. Gallen | Grüntal Altstätten | 1,000 |
| FC Bad Ragaz | St. Gallen | Ri-Au | 100 |
| FC Balzers | Liechtenstein | Sportplatz Rheinau | 2,000 |
| FC Gossau | St. Gallen | Sportanlage Buechenwald | 3,500 |
| FC Küsnacht | Zürich | Sportanlage Heslibach | 2,300 |
| FC Locarno | Locarno, Ticino | Stadio comunale Lido | 5,000 |
| US Morobbia Giubiasco | Ticino | Campo Semine | 1,000 |
| FC Morbio | Ticino | Campo comunale Balerna | 800 |
| FC Rüti | Zürich | Schützenwiese | 1,200 |
| FC Schaffhausen | Schaffhausen | Stadion Breite | 7,300 |
| FC Stäfa | Zürich | Sportanlage Frohberg | 1,500 |
| FC Turicum | Zürich | Hardhof | 1,000 |
| FC Uzwil | St. Gallen | Rüti | 1,000 |
| FC Vaduz | Liechtenstein | Rheinpark Stadion | 7,584 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Locarno | 26 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 63 | 28 | +35 | 39 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Altstätten (St. Gallen) | 26 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 40 | 21 | +19 | 37 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 3 | FC Vaduz | 26 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 52 | 35 | +17 | 34 | |
| 4 | FC Schaffhausen | 26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 37 | 25 | +12 | 31 | |
| 5 | FC Gossau | 26 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 52 | 41 | +11 | 30 | |
| 6 | FC Balzers | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 46 | 35 | +11 | 27 | |
| 7 | FC Küsnacht | 26 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 25 | 23 | +2 | 27 | |
| 8 | FC Rüti | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 32 | 35 | −3 | 25 | |
| 9 | FC Turicum | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 31 | 39 | −8 | 25 | |
| 10 | FC Uzwil | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 23 | |
| 11 | FC Stäfa | 26 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 21 | 33 | −12 | 19 | |
| 12 | US Morobbia Giubiasco | 26 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 30 | 55 | −25 | 18 | |
| 13 | FC Morbio | 26 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 27 | 42 | −15 | 17 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |
| 14 | FC Bad Ragaz | 26 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 27 | 65 | −38 | 12 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |

## Promotion round
### Group West

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Monthey | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 10 | Promotion to 1981–82 Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Aurore Bienne | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 9 | Promotion to 1981–82 Nationalliga B |
| 3 | FC Stade Lausanne | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 16 | +5 | 5 | Qualification for decider |
| 4 | FC Birsfelden | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 20 | −17 | 0 | |

### Group East

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Ibach | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 7 | Promotion to 1981–82 Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Locarno | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 6 | To decider for second place |
| 3 | FC Altstätten (St. Gallen) | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 6 | To decider for second place |
| 4 | FC Emmenbrücke | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 5 | |

#### Decider for second place in group East

The decider match for second group place was played on 29 June in Näfels
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Locarno | 2–1 | FC Altstätten |
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.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Altstätten | 3–0 | FC Stade Lausanne |
| FC Stade Lausanne | 0–1 | FC Altstätten |
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.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Ibach | 1–0 | FC Monthey |
FC Ibach win and are 1. Liga champions.

## Further in Swiss football

* 1980–81 Nationalliga A
* 1980–81 Nationalliga B
* 1980–81 Swiss Cup