2016–17 Swiss Challenge League

The 2016–17 Swiss Challenge League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Brack.ch Challenge League, was the 14th season of the Swiss Challenge League, the second tier in the Swiss football pyramid. It began on 23 July 2016 and ended on 3 June 2017.

Swiss Challenge League
Season2016–17
ChampionsZürich
PromotedZürich
RelegatedLe Mont
Matches played180
Goals scored529 (2.94 per match)
Top goalscorerJean-Pierre Nsamé
(23 goals)[1]
Biggest home winServette 6–1 Wohlen
(11 September 2016)
Schaffhausen 5–0 Chiasso
(8 April 2017)
Biggest away winChiasso 0–6 Schaffhausen
(15 May 2017)
Highest scoringZürich 6–3 Aarau[1]
(6 November 2016)
Longest winning runSchaffhausen (8 games)
Longest unbeaten runZürich (18 games)
Longest winless runWil (17 games)
Longest losing runAarau
Schaffhausen (7 games)
Highest attendance14,455
Zürich 3–0 Wohlen[1]
(3 June 2017)
Total attendance505,117[2]
Average attendance2,806[2]

On 1 May 2017 FC Le Mont decided to voluntarily relegate three steps down in the league system after being denied a licence to play in the Swiss Challenge League.[3][4]

On 18 May 2017, Zürich became champions of the 2016–17 Challenge League following their 1–1 draw against Servette and Neuchâtel Xamax's 2–1 defeat at Schaffhausen.[5] They are thus promoted back to the top flight immediately following their relegation the previous season.

Participating teams

2015–16 Swiss Challenge League champions FC Lausanne-Sport were promoted to the 2016–17 Swiss Super League. They were replaced by FC Zürich, who got relegated after last place finish in the 2015–16 Swiss Super League. FC Biel-Bienne got relegated from the Challenge League as the Swiss Football League stripped Biel-Bienne of their league licence. Servette FC won promotion from the 2015–16 1. Liga Promotion.

Stadia and locations
Locations of clubs in the 2016–17 Challenge League
Team Venue Capacity
FC AarauStadion Brügglifeld8,000
FC ChiassoStadio Comunale Riva IV5,000
FC Le MontStade Sous-Ville4,000
Neuchâtel XamaxStade de la Maladière12,000
Servette FCStade de Genève30,084
FC SchaffhausenStadion Breite
LIPO Park Schaffhausen		4,200
8,200
FC WilIGP Arena6,958
FC WinterthurSchützenwiese8,550
FC WohlenStadion Niedermatten3,624
FC ZürichLetzigrund23,605

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Kit manufacturer
FC AarauSwitzerland Marco SchällibaumNike
FC ChiassoItaly Baldo RaineriPrimato
FC Le MontSwitzerland John DraganiKarhu
Neuchâtel XamaxSwitzerland Michel DecastelErima
FC SchaffhausenSwitzerland Murat Yakingpard
Servette FCBosnia and Herzegovina Meho Kodro14fourteen
FC WilItaly Maurizio JacobacciNike
FC WinterthurSwitzerland Umberto Romano (interim)gpard
FC WohlenItaly Francesco GabrieleAdidas
FC ZürichItaly Uli ForteNike

Managerial changes
ClubNameDate of departurePosition in tableReplacementDate of appointment
WilTurkey Ugur Tütüneker24 August 2016[6]7thSwitzerland Martin Rueda3 September 2016[7]
WohlenSwitzerland Martin Rueda2 September 20169thItaly Francesco Gabriele7 September 2016[8]
SchaffhausenGermany Axel Thoma7 December 2016[9]10thAustria Nedjad KuruzovicInterim
WilSwitzerland Martin Rueda12 December 20163rdGermany Ronny Teuber12 December 2016[10]
SchaffhausenAustria Nedjad KuruzovicInterim10thSwitzerland Murat Yakin21 December 2016[11]
ServetteFrance Anthony Braizat30 December 20165thBosnia and Herzegovina Meho Kodro30 December 2016[12]
WinterthurSwitzerland Sven Christ14 February 2017[13]9thSwitzerland Umberto RomanoInterim[14]
WilGermany Ronny Teuber27 March 20176thItaly Maurizio Jacobacci27 March 2017[15]
ChiassoItaly Giuseppe Scienza18 April 2017[16]10thItaly Baldo Raineri18 April 2017[17]

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Zürich (C, P) 36 26 7 3 91 30 +61 85 Promotion to 2017–18 Swiss Super League
2 Neuchâtel Xamax 36 22 7 7 66 36 +30 73
3 Servette 36 18 8 10 55 43 +12 62
4 Schaffhausen 36 16 3 17 64 59 +5 51
5 Aarau 36 13 6 17 57 64 −7 45
6 Winterthur 36 11 8 17 45 62 −17 41
7 Wohlen 36 12 3 21 42 60 −18 39
8 Chiasso 36 9 10 17 43 63 −20 37
9 Le Mont[lower-alpha 1] (R) 36 8 11 17 31 54 −23 35 Relegation to 2017–18 2. Liga Interregional
10 Wil[lower-alpha 2] 36 10 7 19 35 58 −23 34
Source: Swiss Challenge League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) head-to-head points; 5) draw
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Le Mont will take voluntary relegation three steps down[18]
  2. Wil were deducted three points for licence rules violation[19]

Results

References
  1. "Infographie". Swiss Challenge League. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  2. "Spectateurs". Swiss Challenge League. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  3. "Le Mont plant Neuanfang in der 2. Liga" (in German). Der Landbote. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  4. "Le Mont plant Neuanfang in der 2. Liga" (in German). Züriost. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  5. "Le FC Sion arrache un point – Le FC Zurich promu" (in French). Swiss Super League. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  6. "FC Wil entlässt Trainer Ugur Tütüneker" (in German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  7. "FC Wohlen: Trainer Martin Rueda wechselt zum FC Wil" (in German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  8. "Italiener Gabriele neuer Trainer von Wohlen" (in German). Bluewin.ch. 7 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  9. Dubach, Matthias (7 December 2016). "Schaffhausen stellt Trainer Axel Thoma frei" (in German). Blick. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  10. "FC Wil: Ronny Teuber folgt auf Martin Rueda" (in German). sfl.ch. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  11. "Murat Yakin erhört den Hilferuf" (in German). Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 21 December 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  12. "Changement d'entraîneur à Servette" (in French). sfl.ch. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  13. Kuhn, Ruedi (14 February 2017). "Schlechte Ergebnisse: Ex-Aarau-Trainer Sven Christ beim FC Winterthur entlassen" (in German). Aargauer Zeitung. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  14. Schifferli, Hansjörg (15 February 2017). "Romano und Zuffi sollen es wieder richten" (in German). Der Landbote. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  15. "Jacobacci übernimmt beim FC Wil" (in German). Der Landbote. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  16. Botta, Christian (18 April 2017). "Niente da fare per Scienza: esonerato!". tio.ch (in Italian). Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  17. "Baldo Raineri nuovo allenatore del Chiasso". fcchiasso.ch (in Italian). 18 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  18. "Le Mont steigt aus der Challenge League ab" (in German). Schaffhauser Nachrichten. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  19. "Erneuter Punktabzug gegen FC Wil" (in German). Züriost.ch. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
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