The 2023–24 Swiss Challenge League (referred to as the Dieci Challenge League for sponsoring reasons) is the 126th season of the second tier of competitive football in Switzerland and the 21st season under its current name.
| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 21 July 2023 – 20 May 2024 |
| Champions | Sion[1] |
| Promoted | Sion |
| Relegated | Baden |
| UEFA Conference League | Vaduz |
| Matches played | 180 |
| Top goalscorer | Dejan Sorgić (Sion) 16 goals |
| Biggest home win | 6–0 THU–BAD (4 Aug '23) VAD–SHA (3 Sep '23) |
| Biggest away win | 0–5 BAD–WIL (27 Aug '23) |
| Highest scoring | 6–3 THU–VAD (3 Nov '23) |
| Longest winning run | Sion (7 wins) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Sion (17 games) |
| Longest winless run | Vaduz (12 games) |
| Longest losing run | Baden (7 losses) |
← 2022–23 2024–25 → All statistics correct as of 31 May 2024. | |
Overview
editTeams
editDue to the increased number of teams in the Super League, from ten to twelve,[2] two teams were directly promoted at the end of the last season and no teams were directly relegated, but third and last placed teams advanced to a promotion and relegation play-off, respectively. The remaining six teams were joined by the best placed eligible teams of the 2022–23 Swiss Promotion League, runners-up Stade Nyonnais and third-placed FC Baden, Stade Nyonnais and Baden returned to second tier after 11 and 17 years absence respectively. Last season's last placed team Neuchâtel Xamax FCS remains in the Challenge League as winners of the relegation play-off.[3] FC Sion, as losers of the promotion play-off, returned to the Challenge League after 17 years in the Super League.[4]
Schedule
editThe Swiss Football League (SFL) released a detailed schedule on 7 December 2022.[5][6] The season will begin on 21 July 2023 and conclude on 20 May 2024. As before, the league will go on winter break after matchday 18 on 17 December 2023 and resume on 26 January 2024. Promotion play-offs are scheduled for the week following the final matchday. The two legs of the promotion play-offs are scheduled for 26 and 31 May 2024, respectively.
The fixtures of the first 18 rounds were drawn and published on 21 June 2023,[7] together with the match times for the first nine rounds.[8] Matches of European competitors FC Vaduz may be postponed to Sundays in rounds 7, 8, and 9, subject to their performance in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying.[7]
Teams
editStadia and locations
edit
Personnel and kits
edit| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aarau |  Ranko Jakovljević |  Olivier Jäckle | gpard | Credit Suisse |
| Baden |  Michael Winsauer | Patrick Muff | macron | Badener Tagblatt |
| Bellinzona |  Manuel Benavente | Matteo Tosetti | Acerbis | |
| Schaffhausen |  Christian Wimmer | Serge Müller | Puma | Methabau |
| Sion |  Didier Tholot | Reto Ziegler | Macron | OIKEN |
| Nyon | Christophe Caschili | Quentin Gaillard | Adidas | |
| Thun | Mauro Lustrinelli | Marco Bürki | Macron | Schneider Software AG |
| Vaduz | Marc Schneider |  Benjamin Büchel | Puma | MBPI |
| Wil |  Brunello Iacopetta | Kastrijot Ndau | ERIMA | Weber und Partner AG LIKA Group AG |
| Xamax | Uli Forte |  Kenan Fatkič | Puma | groupe e |
Managerial changes
edit| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of departure | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aarau | Boris Smiljanić | Departure | 28 May 2023 | Pre-season | Alex Frei | 12 June 2023 | [19][20] |
| Bellinzona |  Fernando Cocimano (interim) | End of interim spell | 13 June 2023 | Sandro Chieffo | 13 June 2023 | [21] | |
| Schaffhausen | Selcuk Sasivari (interim) | 14 June 2023 | Bigi Meier | 14 June 2023 | [22] | ||
| Sion | Paolo Tramezzani | Departure | 15 June 2023 | Didier Tholot | 15 June 2023 | [23] | |
| Bellinzona | Sandro Chieffo | Sacked | 3 October 2023 | 9th | Mario Rosas | 3 October 2023 | [24] |
| Schaffhausen | Bigi Meier | 29 December 2023 | 10th | Christian Wimmer | 29 December 2023 | [25] | |
| Vaduz | Martin Stocklasa | 12 February 2024 | 8th | Marc Schneider | 14 February 2024 | [26][27] | |
| Aarau | Alex Frei | Departure | 25 March 2024 | 3rd | Ranko Jakovljević (interim) | 25 March 2024 | [28] |
Number of teams by regions
editNo. of teams | Cantons | Team(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 |  Aargau | Aarau, Baden |
| 1 | ||
 St. Gallen | Wil | |
 Bern | Thun | |
 Schaffhausen | Schaffhausen | |
| Liechtenstein | FC Vaduz | |
 Vaud | Nyon | |
 Valais | Sion | |
 Neuchâtel | Neuchâtel Xamax | |
 Ticino | AC Bellinzona |
League table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sion (C, P) | 36 | 23 | 10 | 3 | 72 | 23 | +49 | 79 | Promotion to Swiss Super League |
| 2 | Thun | 36 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 73 | 38 | +35 | 76 | Qualification for promotion play-off |
| 3 | Vaduz | 36 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 67 | 55 | +12 | 49 | Qualification for Conference League second qualifying round[a] |
| 4 | Xamax | 36 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 55 | 45 | +10 | 49 | |
| 5 | Wil | 36 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 48 | 52 | −4 | 44 | |
| 6 | Aarau | 36 | 12 | 7 | 17 | 53 | 59 | −6 | 43 | |
| 7 | Nyon | 36 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 45 | 58 | −13 | 43 | |
| 8 | Bellinzona | 36 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 37 | 50 | −13 | 42 | |
| 9 | Schaffhausen | 36 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 36 | 55 | −19 | 38 | |
| 10 | Baden (R) | 36 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 31 | 82 | −51 | 26 | Relegation to Swiss Promotion League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Head-to-head goals scored 6) Away goals scored; 7) Draw.[29]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Vaduz qualified for the Conference League second qualifying round by winning the 2023–24 Liechtenstein Cup.
Results
editPromotion play-off
editThe relegation play-off will be played in a two-legged game between the eleventh placed team of the Super League (5th of the relegation group) and the second placed team of the Challenge League. The two legs of the relegation play-offs are scheduled for 26 and 31 May 2024, respectively.[5]
The winner of the play-off is whichever teams scores most in both games (no away goals rule).[30] In case of a tie at the end of the two games, 30 minutes of extra time (two times 15 minutes) are added, followed by a penalty shoot-out, in case the teams are still tied.
First leg
edit| Grasshopper | 1–1 | Thun |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Second leg
edit
Grasshopper wins 3–2 on aggregate.
References
edit- ^ "Sion ist zurück in der Credit Suisse Super League" [Sion is back in the Credit Suisse Super League] (in Swiss High German). Swiss Football League. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "12 Klubs und neuer Modus in der Super League". Swiss Football League. 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ "Xamax hält sich in der Challenge League – Nuzzolo sagt «Adieu»". SRF. 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Lausanne-Ouchy schickt Sion in die Zweitklassigkeit". SRF. 6 June 2023.
- ^ a b "SFL veröffentlicht Datenplan der Saison 2023/24" (in German). Swiss Football League. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Rahmenterminplan 2023/2024" [Calendar 2023/2024] (PDF). Swiss Football League. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ a b "SFL veröffentlicht die Spielpläne für die Saison 2023/24" (in German). Swiss Football League. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "Spielplan / Calendrier 2023/24" (PDF) (in German). Swiss Football League. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "FC Aarau". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "FC Baden". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "AC Bellinzona". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "FC Stade Nyonnais". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "FC Schaffhausen". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "FC Sion". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "FC Thun". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "FC Vaduz". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "FC Wil 1900". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "Neuchâtel Xamax FCS". Swiss Football League. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "Cheftrainer Smiljanic verlässt den FC Aarau". fcaarau.ch (in Swiss High German). FC Aarau. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ "Alex Frei wird neuer Cheftrainer des FC Aarau". fcaarau.ch (in Swiss High German). FC Aarau. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ "Conduzione tecnica stagione 23/24" [Technical Leadership Season 23/24]. acbellinzona.ch (in Italian). AC Bellinzona. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- ^ "André 'Bigi' Meier wird Cheftrainer beim FC Schaffhausen". fcschaffhausen.ch (in German). FC Schaffhausen. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
- ^ "Didier Tholot retrouve le FC Sion !". fcsion.ch (in Swiss French). FC Sion. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ "Annuncio Ufficiale" [Official Announcement]. acbellinzona.ch (in Italian). AC Bellinzona. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Christian Wimmer neuer FCS Trainer". fcschaffhausen.ch (in Swiss High German). FC Schaffhausen. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Vaduz trennt sich von Stocklasa". fcvaduz.li (in Swiss High German). FC Vaduz. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Marc Schneider neuer Cheftrainer beim FC Vaduz". fcvaduz.li (in Swiss High German). FC Vaduz. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Alex Frei löst Vertrag auf und nimmt eine Auszeit". fcaarau.ch (in Swiss High German). FC Aarau. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ "Reglement für den Spielbetrieb der SFL" (PDF) (in Swiss High German). Swiss Football League. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- ^ "Die wichtigsten Infos zu den Barrage-Spielen CSSL vs. DCL". Swiss Football League. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
External links
edit- Official website (in German and French)
- Soccerway