# 1978–79 Swiss 1. Liga

The 1978–79 1. Liga was the 47th 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 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

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Boudry | Neuchâtel | Stade des Buchilles | 1,500 |
| FC Leytron | Valais | Stade Saint-Martin | 1,000 |
| FC Le Locle | Neuchâtel | Installation sportive - Jeanneret | 3,142 |
| 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 Monthey | Valais | Stade Philippe Pottier | 1,800 |
| 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 |
| FC Visp | Valais | Sportplatz Mühleye | 1,000 |
| Yverdon-Sport FC | Vaud | Stade Municipal | 6,600 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | FC Raron | 26 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 58 | 21 | +37 | 40 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Stade Lausanne | 27 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 59 | 42 | +17 | 35 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 3 | FC Renens | 26 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 47 | 32 | +15 | 32 | |
| 4 | FC Martigny-Sports | 26 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 30 | |
| 5 | ES FC Malley | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 51 | 46 | +5 | 26 | |
| 6 | FC Orbe | 26 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 61 | 58 | +3 | 26 | |
| 7 | FC Stade Nyonnais | 26 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 26 | |
| 8 | FC Boudry | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 38 | 43 | −5 | 26 | |
| 9 | FC Leytron | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 25 | |
| 10 | FC Meyrin | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 33 | 40 | −7 | 24 | |
| 11 | FC Monthey | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 28 | 40 | −12 | 23 | |
| 12 | FC Visp | 26 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 31 | 41 | −10 | 22 | |
| 13 | Yverdon-Sport FC | 26 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 31 | 48 | −17 | 21 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |
| 14 | FC Le Locle | 26 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 24 | 64 | −40 | 8 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |

## Group 2
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Aurore Bienne | Bern | Tilleul-Linde | 1,000 |
| US Boncourt | Jura | Stade Communal Léon Burrus | 1,640 |
| FC Bulle | Fribourg | Stade de Bouleyres | 7,000 |
| FC Central Fribourg | Fribourg | Guintzet | 2,000 |
| SR Delémont | Jura | La Blancherie | 5,263 |
| SC Derendingen | Solothurn | Heidenegg | 1,500 |
| FC Dürrenast | Bern | Stadion Lachen | 13,500 |
| FC Fétigny | Fribourg | Stade Communal Fétigny | 500 |
| FC Herzogenbuchsee | Bern | Waldäcker | 1,000 |
| FC Köniz | Bern | Sportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut | 2,600 |
| FC Laufen | Basel-Country | Sportplatz Nau | 3,000 |
| FC Lerchenfeld | canton of Bern | Sportanlagen Waldeck | 2,400 |
| FC Rapid Ostermundigen | Bern | Oberfeld | 1,000 |
| FC Solothurn | Solothurn | Stadion FC Solothurn | 6,750 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | SR Delémont | 26 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 60 | 24 | +36 | 43 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Bulle | 26 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 45 | 35 | +10 | 33 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 3 | FC Lerchenfeld | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 45 | 31 | +14 | 30 | |
| 4 | FC Solothurn | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 41 | 30 | +11 | 29 | |
| 5 | US Boncourt | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 38 | 32 | +6 | 29 | |
| 6 | FC Aurore Bienne | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 28 | |
| 7 | Central Fribourg | 26 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 41 | 41 | 0 | 26 | |
| 8 | FC Köniz | 26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 31 | 36 | −5 | 25 | |
| 9 | FC Laufen | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 34 | −8 | 22 | |
| 10 | FC Fétigny | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 22 | |
| 11 | FC Herzogenbuchsee | 26 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 35 | 51 | −16 | 21 | |
| 12 | SC Derendingen | 26 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 20 | 33 | −13 | 20 | |
| 13 | FC Dürrenast | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 36 | 47 | −11 | 18 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |
| 14 | FC Rapid Ostermundigen | 26 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 18 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |

## Group 3
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Allschwil | Basel-Country | Im Brüel, Allschwil | 1,700 |
| FC Baden | Aargau | Esp Stadium | 7,000 |
| FC Birsfelden | Basel-Country | Sternenfeld | 9,400 |
| FC Blue Stars Zürich | Zürich | Hardhof | 1,000 |
| SC Brühl | St. Gallen | Paul-Grüninger-Stadion | 4,200 |
| FC Concordia Basel | Basel-City | Stadion Rankhof | 7,000 |
| FC Glattbrugg | Zürich | Sportanlage Au | 1,250 |
| FC Gossau | St. Gallen | Sportanlage Buechenwald | 3,500 |
| SV Muttenz | Basel-Country | Sportplatz Margelacker | 3,200 |
| FC Red Star Zürich | Zürich | Allmend Brunau | 2,000 |
| FC Schaffhausen | Schaffhausen | Stadion Breite | 7,300 |
| FC Suhr | Aargau | Hofstattmatten | 2,000 |
| FC Turicum | Zürich | Hardhof | 1,000 |
| FC Unterstrass | Zürich | Steinkluppe | 1,000 |

### Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | SV Muttenz | 26 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 54 | 26 | +28 | 38 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Baden | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 49 | 37 | +12 | 37 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 3 | FC Schaffhausen | 26 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 55 | 27 | +28 | 36 | |
| 4 | FC Turicum | 26 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 46 | 38 | +8 | 31 | |
| 5 | FC Birsfelden | 26 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 45 | 39 | +6 | 29 | |
| 6 | SC Brühl | 26 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 50 | 46 | +4 | 28 | |
| 7 | FC Suhr | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 46 | 43 | +3 | 27 | |
| 8 | FC Blue Stars Zürich | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 48 | 46 | +2 | 27 | |
| 9 | FC Allschwil | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 31 | 43 | −12 | 22 | |
| 10 | FC Glattbrugg | 26 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 37 | 47 | −10 | 19 | |
| 11 | FC Unterstrass | 26 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 36 | 54 | −18 | 18 | |
| 12 | FC Gossau | 26 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 30 | 50 | −20 | 18 | |
| 13 | FC Red Star Zürich | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 44 | 56 | −12 | 17 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |
| 14 | FC Concordia Basel | 26 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 34 | 53 | −19 | 17 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |

## Group 4
### Teams

| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
| FC Balzers | Liechtenstein | Sportplatz Rheinau | 2,000 |
| FC Chur | Grisons | Ringstrasse | 2,820 |
| SC Emmen | Lucerne | Sportanlage Feldbreite | 500 |
| FC Emmenbrücke | Lucerne | Stadion Gersag | 8,700 |
| US Giubiasco | Ticino | Campo Semine | 1,000 |
| FC Ibach | Schwyz | Gerbihof | 3,300 |
| FC Locarno | Locarno, Ticino | Stadio comunale Lido | 5,000 |
| Mendrisiostar | Ticino | Centro Sportivo Comunale | 4,000 |
| FC Morbio | Ticino | Campo comunale Balerna | 800 |
| FC Rüti | Zürich | Schützenwiese | 1,200 |
| FC Stäfa | Zürich | Sportanlage Frohberg | 1,500 |
| FC Vaduz | Liechtenstein | Rheinpark Stadion | 7,584 |
| FC Zug | Zug | Herti Allmend Stadion | 6,000 |
| 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 Locarno | 26 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 43 | 23 | +20 | 35 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 2 | FC Ibach | 26 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 46 | 30 | +16 | 35 | Play-off to Nationalliga B |
| 3 | Mendrisiostar | 26 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 49 | 28 | +21 | 34 | |
| 4 | SC Zug | 26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 53 | 37 | +16 | 31 | |
| 5 | FC Balzers | 26 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 58 | 44 | +14 | 30 | |
| 6 | FC Vaduz | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 50 | 43 | +7 | 28 | |
| 7 | FC Stäfa | 26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 32 | 28 | +4 | 28 | |
| 8 | FC Emmenbrücke | 26 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 42 | 36 | +6 | 26 | |
| 9 | FC Morbio | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 36 | 44 | −8 | 24 | |
| 10 | FC Zug | 26 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 37 | 47 | −10 | 22 | |
| 11 | FC Rüti | 26 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 31 | 36 | −5 | 21 | |
| 12 | FC Emmen | 26 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 29 | 62 | −33 | 20 | |
| 13 | FC Chur | 26 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 31 | 48 | −17 | 17 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |
| 14 | US Giubiasco | 26 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 33 | 64 | −31 | 13 | Relegation to 2. Liga Interregional |

## Promotion play-off
### Qualification round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| SV Muttenz | 0–1 | FC Ibach |
| FC Ibach | 5–2 | SV Muttenz |
FC Ibach win 6–2 on aggregate and continue to the semi-finals.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Baden | 1–0 | FC Locarno |
| FC Locarno | 2–2 | FC Baden |
FC Baden win 3–2 on aggregate and continue to the semi-finals.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Bulle | 0–1 | FC Raron |
| FC Raron | 3–2 | FC Bulle |
FC Raron win 4–2 on aggregate and continue to the semi-finals.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Stade Lausanne | 2–3 | SR Delémont |
| SR Delémont | 1–0 | FC Stade Lausanne |
SR Delémont win 4–2 on aggregate and continue to the semi-finals.

### Semi-final round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Ibach | 1–3 | FC Raron |
| FC Raron | 3–1 | FC Ibach |
FC Raron win 6–2 on aggregate and are promoted to 1979–80 Nationalliga B. FC Ibach remain in the division.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Baden | 1–0 | SR Delémont |
| SR Delémont | 1–1 | FC Baden |
FC Baden win 2–1 on aggregate and are promoted to 1979–80 Nationalliga B. SR Delémont remain in the division.

### Final for 1. Liga championship

The final was played on 1 July in Baden.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Baden | 0–1 | FC Raron |
FC Raron win and became 1. Liga champions.

## Further in Swiss football

* 1978–79 Nationalliga A
* 1978–79 Nationalliga B
* 1978–79 Swiss Cup