The 1985–86 Swiss 1. Liga was the 54th 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, 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 then contested a play-off round to decide the three promotion slots. The two last placed teams in each group were directly relegated to the 2. Liga (fourth tier). The four third-last placed teams would compete a play-out against the ninth relegation spot.
Group 1 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Echallens Vaud Sportplatz 3 Sapins FC Fribourg Fribourg Stade Universitaire Grand-Lancy FC Geneva Stade de Marignac FC Leytron Valais Stade Saint-Martin ES FC Malley Vaud Centre Sportif de la Tuilière FC Monthey Valais Stade Philippe Pottier FC Montreux-Sports Vaud Stade de Chailly FC Saint-Jean GE Geneva Centre sportif de Varembé FC Savièse Valais Stade St-Germain FC Stade LausanneVaud Centre sportif de Vidy FC Stade Nyonnais Vaud Stade de Colovray FC Stade Payerne Vaud Stade Municipal FC Vernier Geneva Stade municipal de Vernier Yverdon-Sport FC Vaud Stade Municipal
Final league table
Group 2 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Bern Bern Stadion Neufeld SC Burgdorf canton of Bern Stadion Neumatt FC Concordia Basel Basel-City Stadion Rankhof FC Breitenbach Solothurn Grien SC Bümpliz 78 Bern Bodenweid FC Colombier Neuchâtel Stade des Chézards SR Delémont Jura La Blancherie FC Köniz Bern Sportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut FC Langenthal Bern Rankmatte FC Lengnau Bern Moos Lengnau BE FC Nordstern Basel Basel-Stadt Rankhof BSC Old Boys Basel-Stadt Stadion Schützenmatte FC Solothurn Solothurn Stadion FC Solothurn FC Thun Bern Stadion Lachen
Final league table
Decider for twelfth place The decider was played on 27 May at La Blancherie in Delémont.
FC Langenthal win and continue in play-outs. FC Concordia Basel are relegated directly to 2. Liga Interregional.
Group 3 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Altdorf Uri Gemeindesportplatz FC Ascona Ticino Stadio Comunale Ascona SC Buochs Nidwalden Stadion Seefeld FC Emmenbrücke Lucerne Stadion Gersag FC Ibach Schwyz Gerbihof FC Klus-Balsthal Solothurn Sportplatz Moos SC Kriens Lucerne Stadion Kleinfeld FC OltenSolothurnSportanlagen Kleinholz FC Tresa/Monteggio Ticino Cornaredo Stadium FC Mendrisio Ticino Centro Sportivo Comunale FC Muri Aargau Stadion Brühl SC Reiden Lucerne Kleinfeld FC Suhr Aargau Hofstattmatten FC Sursee Lucerne Stadion Schlottermilch
Final league table
Group 4 Teams ClubCantonStadiumCapacity FC Altstätten (St. Gallen)St. Gallen Grüntal Altstätten FC Balzers Liechtenstein Sportplatz Rheinau SC Brühl St. Gallen Paul-Grüninger-Stadion FC Brüttisellen Zürich Lindenbuck FC Dübendorf Zürich Zelgli FC Einsiedeln Schwyz Rappenmöösli FC Frauenfeld Thurgau Kleine Allmend FC Gossau St. Gallen Sportanlage Buechenwald FC Küsnacht Zürich Sportanlage Heslibach FC Red Star Zürich Zürich Allmend Brunau FC RorschachSchwyzSportplatz Kellen FC Rüti Zürich Schützenwiese FC Stäfa Zürich Sportanlage Frohberg FC Vaduz Liechtenstein Rheinpark Stadion
Final league table
Promotion play-off Qualification round
SC Kriens win on away goals and continue to the finals.
ES FC Malley win 7–4 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
FC Fribourg win 2–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
FC Olten win 10–0 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
Final round
FC Olten win 4–1 on aggregate and are promoted to 1986–87 Nationalliga B.
ES FC Malley win 2–1 on aggregate and are promoted to 1986–87 Nationalliga B.
Decider for third place
SC Kriens win 4–3 on aggregate and are promoted to 1986–87 Nationalliga B. FC Fribourg remain in the division.
Final for championship
FC Olten win and are declaied 1. Liga champions.
Relegation play-out The four third-last placed teams from each group, competed a play-out against the ninth and last relegation spot. First round
FC Vernier continue to the final round.
FC Frauenfeld continue to the final round.
Final round
FC Vernier win 5–0 on aggregate. FC Frauenfeld are relegated as ninth and final team to the 2. Liga.
Further in Swiss football 1985–86 Nationalliga A 1985–86 Nationalliga B 1985–86 Swiss Cup
References
Sources Switzerland 1985–86 at RSSSF