- Swiss Challenge League
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Swiss Challenge League 
Countries 
Switzerland
LiechtensteinConfederation UEFA Founded 1897 Number of teams 16 Levels on pyramid 2 Promotion to Super League Relegation to 1. Liga Promotion Domestic cup(s) Swiss Cup Current champions Lausanne
(2010–11)Website Official Site 
2011–12 SeasonThe Swiss Challenge League (until August 2008 known simply as the Challenge League) is the second highest tier of the Swiss Football League. Sixteen teams play in the Challenge League. The winners of the league are promoted to the Super League, and the bottom two teams are relegated to the 1. Liga. The second placed team enters a two-legged playoff against the 9th placed team in the Super League, the winner playing in the higher division next season.
The league was named Nationalliga B until 2003 when it was changed to the "Challenge League."
Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz also play in the Challenge League as Liechtenstein does not have a league of its own.
History
Year 1st Position 2nd Position Playoff result Relegated Relegated 2003–04 Schaffhausen Vaduz Neuchâtel Xamax 2:0 Vaduz Vaduz 2:1 Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax won 3:2 on aggregate
Delémont1 2004–05 Yverdon-Sport Vaduz Schaffhausen 1:1 Vaduz Vaduz 0:1 Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen won 2:1 on aggregate
Baden2 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
Delémont3
Kriens3Chiasso
Cham2008–09 St. Gallen Lugano Lugano 1:0 Luzern Luzern 5:0 Lugano
Luzern won 5:1 on aggregate
Locarno4 Gossau4 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 1Sion were admitted to the league on October 29, 2003, after the season had already begun which brought the number of teams in the division to 17.
Only one club was relegated and two were promoted to extend the league to 18 clubs for the 2004–05 season.2Baden were not relegated due to Servette being demoted to 1. Liga because of financial difficulties.
3Delémont and Kriens were also relegated to due the league being downsized to 16 teams for the 2008–09 season.
4Locarno and Gossau were not relegated due to Concordia and La Chaux-de-Fonds being denied professional licenses.Participating Clubs 2011–12
- Aarau
- Bellinzona
- Biel-Bienne
- Brühl St. Gallen
- Carouge
- Chiasso
- Delémont
- Kriens
- Locarno
- Lugano
- Nyon
- St. Gallen
- Vaduz
- Wil
- Winterthur
- Wohlen
See also
Second level football leagues of Europe (UEFA) Albania · Andorra · Armenia · Austria · Azerbaijan · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federation and Republika Srpska) · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · England · Estonia · Faroe Islands · Finland · France · Georgia · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Republic of Ireland · Israel · Italy · Kazakhstan · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Rep. of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Montenegro · Netherlands · Northern Ireland · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia · San Marino (defunct) · Scotland · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey · Ukraine · Wales (North and South)Football in Switzerland Swiss Football Association National teams League system Super League · Challenge League · 1. Liga Promotion · 1. Liga · 2. Liga Interregional · 2. Liga · 3. Liga · 4. Liga · 5. Liga · Women's LeagueDomestic cups List of clubs · List of stadiums Swiss Challenge League 2010–11 Aarau · Biel-Bienne · Chiasso · Delémont · Kriens · Lausanne-Sport · Locarno · Lugano · Nyon · Schaffhausen · Servette · Vaduz · Wil · Winterthur · Wohlen · Yverdon-SportSwiss Challenge League seasons 1. Liga era, 1931–1944 Seasons 1931–32 · 1932–33 · 1933–34 · 1934–35 · 1935–36 · 1936–37 · 1937–38 · 1938–39 · 1939–40 · 1940–41 · 1941–42 · 1942–43 · 1943–44Nationalliga B era, 1944–2003 Seasons 1944–45 · 1945–46 · 1946–47 · 1947–48 · 1948–49 · 1949–50 · 1950–51 · 1951–52 · 1952–53 · 1953–54 · 1954–55 · 1955–56 · 1956–57 · 1957–58 · 1958–59 · 1959–60 · 1960–61 · 1961–62 · 1962–63 · 1963–64 · 1964–65 · 1965–66 · 1966–67 · 1967–68 · 1968–69 · 1969–70 · 1970–71 · 1971–72 · 1972–73 · 1973–74 · 1974–75 · 1975–76 · 1976–77 · 1977–78 · 1978–79 · 1979–80 · 1980–81 · 1981–82 · 1982–83 · 1983–84 · 1984–85 · 1985–86 · 1986–87 · 1987–88 · 1988–89 · 1989–90 · 1990–91 · 1991–92 · 1992–93 · 1993–94 · 1994–95 · 1995–96 · 1996–97 · 1997–98 · 1998–99 · 1999–00 · 2000–01 · 2001–02 · 2002–03Challenge League era, 2003–present Seasons 2010–11 in Swiss football « 2009–102011–12 »Domestic leagues Super League · Challenge LeagueDomestic cups Swiss Cup · UhrencupInternational club
competitionsMenChampions League · Europa LeagueWomenWomen's Champions LeagueRelated to
national teamsUEFA Euro 2012 qualifying (Group G) · 2011 UEFA Under-21 Championship · 2010 UEFA Under-17 Championship · 2011 UEFA Under-17 Championship qualification2011 FIFA Women's World Cup (Qualification) · 2011 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship (Qualification)Club seasonsSuper League Basel · Bellinzona · Grasshopper Club · Luzern · Neuchâtel Xamax · Sion · St. Gallen · Thun · Young Boys · ZürichChallenge League Aarau · Biel-Bienne · Chiasso · Delémont · Kriens · Lausanne-Sport · Locarno · Lugano · Schaffhausen · Servette · Stade Nyonnais · Vaduz · Wil · Winterthur · Wohlen · Yverdon-SportTemplate:Switzerland-footy-competition-stub
Categories:- Football competitions in Switzerland
- Swiss Challenge League
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