1944–45 Swiss 1. Liga

In Switzerland during the second world war, sport became an integral part of the "spiritual national defense". This was a political and cultural movement that had already become increasingly important during the late 1930s. Politicians, intellectuals and media professionals had increasingly called for measures to strengthen Switzerland's basic cultural values. Since the Nationalliga games were also considered to be one of the activities that seemed important for maintaining the morale of the population, the military authorities put considerably fewer obstacles in the way of the top players as they had during the previous World War.{{cite web | first = Christian | last = Koller | author-link = | year = 2009 | url = https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/7144/10/Koller_Kriegsmeisterschaften.pdf | title = Vierzigerjahre (1940 bis 1949): Die Kriegsmeisterschaften | format = | work = | trans-title = Forties (1940 to 1949): The War Championships | publisher =Zurich Open Repository and Archive | language = de-ch | access-date = 2024-11-16}}

Therefore, it came about that the Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) expanded themselves. The decision of the extraordinary assembly, held on 9 October 1943 in Lugano, was to double the number of members to 28 clubs for the 1944–45 season. The Nationalliga was divided into two strength classes each with 14 teams. The previous Nationalliga became the Nationalliga A (NLA), while the Nationalliga B (NLB) was newly formed with the 14 best teams of the previous 1. Liga season.

From this moment, the 1. Liga became the third-tier of the Swiss football league system. It was also increased in size, from 25 clubs in two groups, to new three groups with 10 teams each. The remaining 11 clubs from last season were joined by 19 teams brought up from the next lowest tier. This format would be expanded over the next two seasons by adding one team pro group in both seasons, so that there would be 36 clubs in the division within two seasons. The teams were divided into three regional groups, this season each group with 10 teams. Within each individual group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position. Two points were awarded for a win and one point was awarded for a draw. The three group winners then contested a play-off round to decide the two promotion slots to the second-tier (NLB). The last placed team in each group was directly relegated to the 2. Liga, which now became the new fourth-tier.

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=QR

|winpoints=2

|team1=HEL |name_HEL= FC Helvetia Bern |win_HEL =13 |draw_HEL =2 |loss_HEL =3 |gf_HEL =35 |ga_HEL=23

|team2=TUN |name_TUN= FC Thun |win_TUN =11 |draw_TUN =4 |loss_TUN =3 |gf_TUN =40 |ga_TUN=25

|team3=VEV |name_VEV= Vevey Sports |win_VEV =9 |draw_VEV =5 |loss_VEV =4 |gf_VEV =45 |ga_VEV=22

|team4=CEN |name_CEN = Central Fribourg |win_CEN =8 |draw_CEN =6 |loss_CEN =4 |gf_CEN =37 |ga_CEN=23

|team5=MOS |name_MOS = FC Montreux-Sports |win_MOS =7 |draw_MOS =6 |loss_MOS =5 |gf_MOS =30 |ga_MOS=36

|team6=SIE |name_SIE = FC Sierre |win_SIE =8 |draw_SIE =1 |loss_SIE =9 |gf_SIE =35 |ga_SIE=29

|team7=RCL |name_RCL= Racing Club Lausanne |win_RCL =6 |draw_RCL =3 |loss_RCL =9 |gf_RCL =25 |ga_RCL=26

|team8=SIO |name_SIO= FC Sion |win_SIO =5 |draw_SIO =4 |loss_SIO =9 |gf_SIO =28 |ga_SIO=31

|team9=REN |name_REN = FC Renens |win_REN =5 |draw_REN =2 |loss_REN =11 |gf_REN =27 |ga_REN=49

|team10=CAG |name_CAG =CA Genève{{cite web | first = | last = Erste Liga (SFV) | author-link = | year = 2022 | url = https://www.el-pl.ch/Portaldata/3/Resources/statistiken/Statistik-Auf-Absteiger-bis_heute_19.12.22.pdf | title = Statistik der Ersten Liga über Aufstieg und Abstieg ab Saison 1931/32 bis 2022 | format = | work = PDF page 3 | trans-title = First League statistics on promotion and relegation from the 1931/32 season to 2022 | publisher = Erste Liga, Abteilung des SFV | language = de | access-date = 2024-11-16}} |win_CAG =0 |draw_CAG =3 |loss_CAG =15 |gf_CAG =13 |ga_CAG=51

|col_QP=green3|text_QP=To promotion play-off

|result1=QP

|col_R2=red3|text_R2=Relegation to 2. Liga

|result10=R2

|class_rules = 1) Points; 2) Goal difference within the league, but decider play-off for qualifiers.

|update=complete

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zwit45.html RSSSF]

}}

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=QR

|winpoints=2

|team1=PRA |name_PRA= FC Pratteln |win_PRA =9 |draw_PRA =6 |loss_PRA =3 |gf_PRA =46 |ga_PRA=27

|team2=CON |name_CON= FC Concordia Basel |win_CON =10 |draw_CON =4 |loss_CON =4 |gf_CON =40 |ga_CON=30

|team3=SFT |name_SFT= SC Schöftland |win_SFT =9 |draw_SFT =2 |loss_SFT =7 |gf_SFT =45 |ga_SFT=35

|team4=BIR |name_BIR= FC Birsfelden |win_BIR =7 |draw_BIR =5 |loss_BIR =6 |gf_BIR =36 |ga_BIR=35

|team5=MOU |name_MOU= FC Moutier |win_MOU =6 |draw_MOU =6 |loss_MOU =6 |gf_MOU =45 |ga_MOU=41

|team6=ZOF |name_ZOF= SC Zofingen |win_ZOF =7 |draw_ZOF =3 |loss_ZOF =8 |gf_ZOF =43 |ga_ZOF=39

|team7=LeL |name_LeL= FC Le Locle |win_LeL =5 |draw_LeL =7 |loss_LeL =6 |gf_LeL =33 |ga_LeL=43

|team8=KLE |name_KLE= SC Kleinhüningen |win_KLE =6 |draw_KLE =4 |loss_KLE =8 |gf_KLE =40 |ga_KLE=42

|team9=TRA |name_TRA= FC Tavannes/Tramelan |win_TRA =5 |draw_TRA =5 |loss_TRA =8 |gf_TRA =37 |ga_TRA=45

|team10=BBB |name_BBB= US Bienne-Boujean |win_BBB =4 |draw_BBB =2 |loss_BBB =12 |gf_BBB =30 |ga_BBB=58

|col_QP=green3|text_QP=Decider for group winners

|result1=QP|result2=QP

|col_R2=red3|text_R2=Relegation to 2. Liga

|result10=R2

|class_rules = 1) Points; 2) Goal difference within the league, but decider play-off for qualifiers.

|update=complete

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zwit45.html RSSSF]

}}

The decider match for the group championship was played on 24 June 1945 in Basel

{{OneLegStart}}

{{OneLegResult| FC Pratteln || 1–0 | Concordia }}

{{end}}

FC Pratteln win and advance to the promotion play-offs. Concordia remain in the division.

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=QR

|winpoints=2

|team1=FCS |name_FCS= FC Schaffhausen |win_FCS =15 |draw_FCS =2 |loss_FCS =1 |gf_FCS =50 |ga_FCS=22

|team2=CHI |name_CHI= FC Chiasso |win_CHI =11 |draw_CHI =2 |loss_CHI =5 |gf_CHI =36 |ga_CHI=16

|team3=WIN |name_WIN= FC Winterthur |win_WIN =11 |draw_WIN =0 |loss_WIN =7 |gf_WIN =35 |ga_WIN=31

|team4=BSZ |name_BSZ= FC Blue Stars Zürich |win_BSZ =8 |draw_BSZ =4 |loss_BSZ =5 |gf_BSZ =37 |ga_BSZ=21

|team5=ALTZ |name_ALTZ = FC Altstetten (Zürich) |win_ALTZ =9 |draw_ALTZ =1 |loss_ALTZ =8 |gf_ALTZ =36 |ga_ALTZ=35

|team6=ADL |name_ADL = FC Adliswil |win_ADL =6 |draw_ADL =4 |loss_ADL =8 |gf_ADL =32 |ga_ADL=35

|team7=UST |name_UST= FC Uster |win_UST =6 |draw_UST =3 |loss_UST =8 |gf_UST =32 |ga_UST=32

|team8=ARB |name_ARB= FC Arbon |win_ARB =6 |draw_ARB =3 |loss_ARB =9 |gf_ARB =39 |ga_ARB=40

|team9=RED |name_RED = FC Red Star Zürich |win_RED =6 |draw_RED =1 |loss_RED =11 |gf_RED =27 |ga_RED=46

|team10=KIK |name_KIK=FC Kickers Luzern |win_KIK =0 |draw_KIK =2 |loss_KIK =16 |gf_KIK =20 |ga_KIK=66

|col_QP=green3|text_QP=To promotion play-off

|result1=QP

|col_R2=red3|text_R2=Relegation to 2. Liga

|result10=R2

|class_rules = 1) Points; 2) Goal difference within the league, but decider play-off for qualifiers.

|update=complete

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zwit45.html RSSSF]

}}

The three group winners played a single round-robin to decide the overall championship and the two promotion slots. The promotion play-offs were held on 17 June, 1 and 8 July 1945.

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=Q

|winpoints=2

|team1=FCS |name_FCS= FC Schaffhausen |win_FCS =2 |draw_FCS =0 |loss_FCS =0 |gf_FCS =8 |ga_FCS=2

|team2=HEL |name_HEL= FC Helvetia Bern |win_HEL =1 |draw_HEL =0 |loss_HEL =1 |gf_HEL =3 |ga_HEL=6

|team3=PRA |name_PRA= FC Pratteln |win_PRA =0 |draw_PRA =0 |loss_PRA =2 |gf_PRA =0 |ga_PRA=3

|match_FCS_HEL= 6–2

|match_FCS_PRA= —

|match_HEL_FCS= —

|match_HEL_PRA= 1–0

|match_PRA_FCS= 0–2

|match_PRA_HEL= —

|show_matches=y

|short_style=noflag

|class_rules = 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head 3) Decider.

|update=complete

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zwit45.html RSSSF]

}}

FC Schaffhausen became overall 1. Liga Champions and together with runners-up FC Helvetia Bern were promoted to 1945–46 Nationalliga B. FC Pratteln remained in the division for the next season.

• 1944–45 Nationalliga A
• 1944–45 Nationalliga B
• 1944–45 Swiss Cup

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zwit45.html Switzerland 1944–45 at RSSSF]

{{sequence

|list=Seasons in
Swiss 1. Liga

|prev=1943–44

|next=1945–46

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1944–45 Swiss 1. Liga}}

Category:1944–45 in Swiss football

Category:Swiss 1. Liga (football) seasons

Switzerland