Super League with 12 teams and play-offs

The representatives of the Swiss football clubs are not spared from nightmares, that was the case before Corona – and has become even worse with Corona due to the additional lack of money. At times almost the entire league gets involved in the fight against relegation. That’s exciting for outsiders, but worrying for those who end up footing the bill at clubs.

In addition, the struggle for the championship title has been equated with monotony for years. In 2017, the Dutch company Hypercube examined local club football for a lot of money. His advice resonates to this day: “You have to change your mode, otherwise you will have a Basel monologue in 8 out of 10 cases.”

That was often the case between 2010 and 2017. Always Basel, sometimes worlds ahead of the competition. Paradoxically, the crushing dominance held between 2018 and 2021. But now it was no longer: “always Basel”; but: «always YB.» And as if that weren’t enough, FC Zurich has taken on the role of the undisputed leader in the snapshot. But an all-around for the title? none.

Poor quality is concealed

Changing the form of the game has been in the air for a long time. In contrast to the top five leagues, smaller footballing countries are constantly making artificial interventions. They spice up their league and have to defend themselves against the accusation that they are trying to hide poor quality.

The Committee of the Swiss Football League now proposes a mode reformin which the number of Super League teams is to be increased from 10 to 12 and divided into 6 teams each after a first and second round.

Above all, however, a particularly striking change is planned: that the championship title will be determined in a play-off between first and second. Play-offs are also to be introduced for the final phase of the European Cup places – in which as many clubs as possible remain involved.

Some attempts failed in the SFL

It remains to be seen whether the SFL Committee’s proposal will be implemented in this form. In recent years, many attempts have failed, sometimes only on the last meters. The league will probably decide on this at the extraordinary general assembly on May 20th. The change would be introduced for the 2023/24 season, the next season would be the necessary transition.

If you ask around in the league, it becomes clear that the proposal could currently win a majority. Various protagonists estimate that 15 of the 20 teams in the Swiss Football League are behind it. Or even more. That would do. Opposition is most likely to be found among the big clubs. These include YB and possibly FC Zurich. FC Basel is unpredictable with David Degen.

A counter-proposal is expected to be worked out – with YB in the role of opposition leader. YB CEO Wanja Greuel has been on the SFL committee since 2017, longer than any other committee member apart from President Philipp Studhalter. It can be assumed that Greuel has been pretty much alone in the committee debates lately. Greuel abstains from an official statement, but the YB sports director Christoph Spycher says clearly: “We cannot make friends with the idea of ​​a championship decision using play-offs, because this would contradict sporting fairness.”

According to Spycher, YB understands that the majority of Super League clubs are in favor of increasing to twelve clubs and claiming greater economic planning security. However, it is obvious that YB considers the North American play-off idea unsuitable for European football.

Spycher fears the coincidence with the play-off formula

Spycher says: «If the FCZ pulls through its performances over 36 rounds in the current championship, it will be the deserved champion. The reward for this consistency would be in question with the final play-offs.” In addition, the best Swiss clubs should be represented in the European competitions, also for the sake of their placement in the Uefa ranking – “with the play-off formula the door and gate would be open to chance here too”.

If the Young Boys realize in the next few weeks that they have no chance in the fight against the introduction of the play-off, they should limit themselves to a minimal variant of the counter-proposal and at least try to prevent the master play-offs. So they would have two home games, but also two less risky games. Experience has shown that such master duels would mean a lot of effort in terms of security measures. The committee is aware of this.

But in the end, sentences like: “The time is ripe for a change” prevail among the decision-makers, “The proposal is broadly anchored and not a quick fix.” and “We need courage now.”

While the Super League expands to 12 clubs, the Challenge League remains at 10 clubs. What happens to her is to be determined in a second step. After all, it can be stated soberly that various Challenge League clubs also have potential for promotion in terms of infrastructure: Aarau, Vaduz, Thun and Xamax, but also Winterthur and Schaffhausen.

The only question is whether and for whom the nightmares will become rarer. They won’t stay away.