2022–23 Swiss Challenge League

The 2022–23 Swiss Challenge League (referred to as the Dieci Challenge League for sponsoring reasons) is the 125th season of the second tier of competitive football in Switzerland and the 20th season under its current name.

Swiss Challenge League

Season	2022–23
Dates	15 July 2022 – 27 May 2023
Champions	Yverdon-Sport
Promoted	Yverdon-Sport Lausanne-Sport Stade Lausanne Ouchy
Europa Conference League	Vaduz
Matches played	180
Goals scored	562 (3.12 per match)
Top goalscorer	19 goals Brighton Labeau (LAU) Teddy Okou (SLO)
Biggest home win	6–0 SLO–BEL (27 May 23)
Biggest away win	1–6 BEL–VAD (16 Apr 23) XAM–VAD (27 May 23)
Highest scoring	7 goals 7 games
Longest winning run	4 games Aarau Lausanne-Ouchy Yverdon-Sport
Longest unbeaten run	11 games Lausanne-Sport
Longest winless run	13 games Bellinzona
Longest losing run	7 games Xamax
Highest attendance	12,034[1] Lausanne-Sport
Total attendance	420,547[1]
Average attendance	2,336[1]
← 2021–22 2023–24 → All statistics correct as of complete.

Overview

Ten teams will compete in the league: eight teams of the previous season will participate in the league again. They are joined by FC Lausanne-Sport, the last-placed team of the 2021–22 Swiss Super League, who replace previous season's champions FC Winterthur. Last season's last-placed team SC Kriens were relegated and are replaced by AC Bellinzona, who were promoted from the 2021-22 Swiss Promotion League.^[2] FC Schaffhausen, the losers of the 2021-22 relegation/promotion playoff, rejoined the league.

Due to the format change and increased number of teams in the 2023–24 Swiss Super League, this season will function as a transition season. As a result, the top two teams will be directly promoted and no teams will be relegated at the end of the season. Furthermore, the third-placed team will play a promotion playoff against the last placed team of the 2022–23 Swiss Super League,^[3] so a total of three teams may gain promotion to the Super League. Two teams of the 2022–23 Swiss Promotion League will be promoted and the third will play a relegation playoff with the last-placed Challenge League team.^[3]

Schedule

The schedule was announced on 17 June 2022.^[4] The first matchday will start on Friday 15 July 2022.

Unlike the Super League, the Challenge League will not start the winter break early due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in November and December 2022. As such, the 18th matchday will clash with matches of the World Cup. Restart of the league after the winter break will begin on 27 January 2023 and the season will conclude on the 27 May 2023.^[5] Following the end of the season, the two legs of the Relegation Play-off will be played on 31 May and 3 June 2023, respectively. The Promotion Play-off is scheduled for 3 and 6 June 2023, respectively.

Participating teams

Stadia and locations

Aarau

Bellinzona

Lausanne-Ouchy

Lausanne-Sport

Neuchâtel

Schaffhausen

Thun

Vaduz

Wil

Yverdon-Sport

Locations of clubs in the 2022–23 Challenge League

Team	Location	Stadium	Capacity	Ref
FC Aarau	Aarau	Stadion Brügglifeld	8,000	[6]
AC Bellinzona	Bellinzona	Stadio Comunale	5,000	[7]
FC Stade Lausanne-Ouchy	Lausanne	Stade Olympique de la Pontaise[a]	15,850	[9]
FC Lausanne-Sport	Lausanne	Stade de la Tuilière	12,544	[10]
Neuchâtel Xamax FCS	Neuchâtel	Stade de la Maladière	11,997	[11]
FC Schaffhausen	Schaffhausen	Wefox Arena	8,200	[12]
FC Thun	Thun	Stadion Ralf Wirtz	10,014	[13]
FC Vaduz	Vaduz	Rheinpark Stadion	7,584	[14]
FC Wil 1900	Wil	Stadion Bergholz	6,958	[15]
Yverdon-Sport FC	Yverdon-les-Bains	Stade Municipal	6,600	[16]

1. Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy's home stadium Stade Juan-Antonio-Samaranch in Lausanne can not accommodate SLO for the Challenge League. SLO will play at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Lausanne.^[8]

Personnel and kits

Team	Manager	Captain	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
Aarau	Boris Smiljanić	Shkëlzen Gashi	gpard	Credit Suisse
Bellinzona	Stefano Maccoppi	Dragan Mihajlović	Acerbis
Lausanne-Ouchy	Anthony Braizat	Lavdrim Hajrulahu	14fourteen	gerofinance
Lausanne-Sport	Ludovic Magnin	Stjepan Kukuruzović	Le coq sportif	Banque cantonale vaudoise
Xamax	Uli Forte	Liridon Berisha	Puma	groupe e
Schaffhausen	Selcuk Sasivari	Serge Müller	Puma	Methabau
Thun	Mauro Lustrinelli	Marco Bürki	Macron	Schneider Software AG
Vaduz	Martin Stocklasa	Benjamin Büchel	Puma	MBPI
Wil	Brunello Iacopetta	Philipp Muntwiler	ERIMA	Weber und Partner AG LIKA Group AG
Yverdon-Sport	Marco Schällibaum	William Le Pogam	Puma	Orllati SA

Managerial changes

Team	Outgoing manager	Manner of departure	Date of departure	Position in table	Incoming manager	Date of appointment	Ref.
Thun	Carlos Bernegger	Termination	21 May 2022	Pre-season	Mauro Lustrinelli	16 June 2022	[17][18]
Lausanne-Sport	Alain Casanova		22 May 2022		Ludovic Magnin	23 May 2022	[19][20]
Yverdon-Sport	Uli Forte	Departure	4 June 2022		Marco Schällibaum	13 June 2022	[21][22]
Schaffhausen	Martin Andermatt	Contract Expiry	4 June 2022		Hakan Yakin	4 June 2022	[23]
Bellinzona	Marco Schällibaum	Departure	13 June 2022		David Sesa	21 June 2022	[22][24]
Schaffhausen	Hakan Yakin	Missing coaching licence	12 August 2022	6th	Bigi Meier (interim)	12 August 2022	[25]
Bellinzona	David Sesa	Resignation	22 August 2022	7th	Fernando Cocimano (interim)	22 August 2022	[26]
Xamax	Andrea Binotto	Termination	28 August 2022	10th	Jeff Saibene	29 August 2022	[27][28]
Schaffhausen	Bigi Meier (interim)	End of interim period	2 September 2022	4th	Hakan Yakin	12 August 2022
Bellinzona	Fernando Cocimano (interim)		14 September 2022	5th	Baldassare Raineri	14 September 2022	[29]
Aarau	Stephan Keller	Termination	1 November 2022	6th	Boris Smiljanić	3 November 2022	[30][31]
Vaduz	Alessandro Mangiarratti	Resignation	16 November 2022	8th	Jürgen Seeberger	15 December 2022	[32][33]
Bellinzona	Baldassare Raineri	Termination	18 January 2023	6th	Stefano Maccoppi	19 January 2023	[34][35]
Vaduz	Jürgen Seeberger	Resignation	21 February 2023	9th	Jan Mayer (interim)	21 February 2023	[36]
Vaduz	Jan Mayer (interim)	End of interim period	1 March 2023	9th	Martin Stocklasa	1 March 2023	[37]
Bellinzona	Stefano Maccoppi	Termination	31 March 2023	8th	Fernando Cocimano (interim)	31 March 2023	[38]
Xamax	Jeff Saibene	Resignation	23 April 2023	10th	Uli Forte	25 April 2023	[39][40]
Schaffhausen	Hakan Yakin	Termination	20 May 2023	7th	Selcuk Sasivari (interim)	20 May 2023	[41]

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or qualification
1	Yverdon (C, P)	36	20	6	10	64	53	+11	66	Promotion to Swiss Super League
2	Lausanne (P)	36	17	10	9	58	43	+15	61
3	Lausanne-Ouchy[a] (O, P)	36	17	9	10	70	53	+17	60	Qualification for the promotion play-off
4	Aarau	36	15	12	9	63	57	+6	57
5	Wil	36	16	8	12	62	52	+10	56
6	Thun	36	12	13	11	62	55	+7	49
7	Schaffhausen	36	12	8	16	51	59	−8	44
8	Vaduz	36	7	16	13	54	56	−2	37	Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round[b]
9	Bellinzona	36	11	4	21	38	71	−33	37
10	Xamax (O)	36	4	12	20	42	65	−23	24	Qualification for the relegation play-off

Source: Swiss Challenge League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Draw.^[44]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted
Notes:

1. Lausanne-Ouchy were deducted 3 points on 1 November 2022, due to license violations.^[42] This decision was overturned following the team's appeal on 22 November 2022.^[43]
2. Vaduz qualified for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round by winning the 2022–23 Liechtenstein Cup.

Results

First and second rounds Home \ Away AAR BEL SLO LAU SHA THU VAD WIL XAM YVE Aarau — 0–1 3–3 1–2 1–0 2–2 1–1 2–1 3–3 3–2 Bellinzona 0–4 — 1–4 1–0 1–3 1–3 2–0 5–1 3–1 1–2 Lausanne-Ouchy 2–1 2–1 — 2–1 0–2 2–2 1–5 2–1 2–1 5–0 Lausanne 2–2 1–1 0–0 — 5–1 2–1 3–1 4–0 2–1 3–2 Schaffhausen 0–2 1–0 0–2 0–0 — 1–0 2–2 0–1 2–0 1–2 Thun 2–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–1 — 1–1 1–3 2–1 1–3 Vaduz 4–0 2–3 0–2 1–0 1–1 2–4 — 0–0 1–1 3–3 Wil 6–1 5–1 0–0 1–0 4–3 1–1 2–0 — 2–0 4–0 Xamax 1–2 4–0 2–1 0–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 — 2–3 Yverdon 2–2 0–1 2–1 4–0 3–0 3–1 3–1 1–3 3–1 — Source: Swiss Challenge League (in German) Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Third and fourth rounds Home \ Away AAR BEL SLO LAU SHA THU VAD WIL XAM YVE Aarau — 2–0 2–3 2–2 2–0 1–0 0–2 0–0 5–2 1–2 Bellinzona 0–1 — 0–1 1–0 0–2 3–0 1–6 3–2 1–1 0–2 Lausanne-Ouchy 3–4 6–0 — 2–4 0–4 2–2 0–0 3–4 2–0 4–1 Lausanne 4–1 1–1 2–1 — 1–1 1–3 0–0 2–0 2–1 2–0 Schaffhausen 2–2 2–1 2–4 1–2 — 0–5 1–0 4–1 1–1 3–4 Thun 2–3 2–0 1–1 3–3 2–3 — 3–3 1–1 1–0 3–1 Vaduz 0–1 2–1 2–2 1–1 1–4 0–3 — 2–2 1–2 0–0 Wil 0–3 3–0 1–2 1–2 3–1 1–2 2–0 — 3–2 0–2 Xamax 0–0 3–0 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 1–6 0–1 — 1–2 Yverdon 1–1 1–2 1–0 1–0 2–0 1–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 — Source: Swiss Challenge League (in German) Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Play-offs

Promotion play-off

The relegation play-off will be played in a two-legged game between the last place team of the Super League and the third placed team of the Challenge League.^[3] The first leg will be held on 3 June 2023, with the representative of the Super League hosting.^[5] The second leg will be held on 6 June 2023.

First leg

3 June 2023 (2023-06-03)

18:00 CEST (UTC+2)

Sion	0–2	Lausanne-Ouchy
	Report	26' Mulaj 57' Bamba

Stade Tourbillon, Sion

Attendance: 9,050

Referee: Luca Cibelli

Second leg

6 June 2023 (2023-06-06)

20:30 CEST (UTC+2)

Lausanne-Ouchy	4–2	Sion
Mulaj 6', 89' Ajdini 34' Okou 81'	Report	23' Zuffi 39' (pen.) Grgic

Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne

Attendance: 10,754

Referee: Urs Schnyder

Lausanne-Ouchy wins 6–2 on aggregate.

Relegation play-off

The relegation/promotion play-off will be played in a two-legged game between the last placed team of the Challenge League and the third placed team of the Promotion League.^[3] The first leg will be held on 31 May 2023, with the representative of the Promotion League hosting.^[5] The second leg will be held on 3 June 2023.

First leg

31 May 2023 (2023-05-31)

19:30 CEST (UTC+2)

Rapperswil-Jona	1–3	Xamax
Volkart 54'	Report	7' Aliu 20' Bakayoko 26' Del Toro

Stadium Grünfeld, Rapperswil

Attendance: 2,154

Second leg

3 June 2023 (2023-06-03)

19:00 CEST (UTC+2)

Xamax	3–0	Rapperswil-Jona
Hammerich 58' Del Toro 69' Pinga 73'	Report

Stade de la Maladière, Neuchâtel

Attendance: 6,414

Xamax wins 6–1 on aggregate

Statistics

Top Scorers As of 27 May 2023[45] Rank Player Club Goals 1 Brighton Labeau Lausanne 19 Teddy Okou Lausanne-Ouchy 19 3 Gabriel Kyeremateng Thun 16 4 Shkelqim Vladi Aarau 15 5 Valon Fazliu Aarau 14 6 Alban Ajdini Lausanne-Ouchy 13 7 Tunahan Cicek Vaduz 12 Koro Kone Yverdon 12 Brian Beyer Yverdon 12 10 Raúl Bobadilla Schaffhausen 11 Nicolas Muci Wil 11

Assists As of 27 May 2023[46] Rank Player Club Assists 1 Valon Fazliu Aarau 14 2 Mergim Qarri Lausanne-Ouchy 11 3 Dominik Schwizer Lausanne 9 Kastrijot Ndau Wil 9 5 Nikola Gjorgjev Aarau 8 Cristian Souza Bellinzona 8 Josias Lukembila Wil 8 Teddy Okou Lausanne-Ouchy 8

Awards

Best Player

Player of the Round

The best player of the Super League and Challenge League for each matchday is voted for by the viewers from among a selection of players.

Round 1						Round 2						Round 3						Round 4
#	Nat	Player	Team	L	Ref	#	Nat	Player	Team	L	Ref	#	Nat	Player	Team	L	Ref	#	Nat	Player	Team	L	Ref
1		Samir Ramizi	Winterthur	(SL)	[47]	10		Cedric Itten	Young Boys	(SL)	[48]	19		André Moreira	Grasshopper	(SL)	[49]	28		Pius Dorn	Luzern	(SL)	[50]
2		Hayao Kawabe	Grasshopper	(SL)	[51][52]	11		Mario Balotelli	Sion	(SL)	[53]	20		Andy Diouf	Basel	(SL)	[54]
3		Renat Dadashov	Grasshopper	(SL)	[55]	12		Mohamed Dräger	Luzern	(SL)	[56]	21		Zeki Amdouni	Basel	(SL)	[57]
4		Nicky Beloko	Luzern	(SL)	[58]	13		Max Meyer	Luzern	(SL)	[59]	22		Martin Frýdek	Luzern	(SL)	[60]
5		Lukas Görtler	St. Gallen	(SL)	[61]	14		Dejan Sorgić	Luzern	(SL)	[62]	23		Lawrence Ati-Zigi	St. Gallen	(SL)	[63]
6		Lukas Watkowiak	St. Gallen	(SL)	[64]	15		Lawrence Ati-Zigi	St. Gallen	(SL)	[65]	24		Nicky Beloko	Luzern	(SL)	[66]
7		Daouda Guindo	St. Gallen	(SL)	[67]	16		Emmanuel Latte Lath	St. Gallen	(SL)	[68]	25		Noe Holenstein	Winterthur	(SL)	[69]
8		Ardon Jashari	Luzern	(SL)	[70]	17		Pascal Schürpf	Luzern	(SL)	[71]	26		Meritan Shabani	Grasshopper	(SL)	[72]
9		Marius Müller	Luzern	(SL)	[73]	18		Max Meyer	Luzern	(SL)	[74]	27		Sofyan Chader	Luzern	(SL)	[75]

Player of the Month The best player of the month in the Super League and Challenge League is chosen by the viewers from among five nominees. The following table shows the winner (in dark grey) and the other nominees for each month where a Player of the Month was chosen. July[76][77] August[78][79] September[80][81] Nat Player Team L Nat Player Team L Nat Player Team L Jérémy Frick Servette (SL) Renat Dadashov Grasshopper (SL) Ardon Jashari Luzern (SL) Wilfried Kanga Young Boys (SL) Lukas Görtler St. Gallen (SL) Timothé Cognat Servette (SL) Basil Stillhart St. Gallen (SL) Cedric Itten Young Boys (SL) Valon Fazliu Aarau (ChL) Nathanaël Saintini Sion (SL) Koro Kone Yverdon (ChL) Wouter Burger Basel (SL) Koro Kone Yverdon (ChL) Shkelqim Vladi Aarau (ChL) Filip Stojilković Sion (SL) October[82][83] November[84][85] February[86][87] Max Meyer Luzern (SL) Lawrence Ati-Zigi St. Gallen (SL) Zeki Amdouni Basel (SL) David Douline Servette (SL) Tosin Aiyegun Zürich (SL) Chris Bedia Servette (SL) Timothy Fayulu Winterthur (SL) Renato Steffen Lugano (SL) Tosin Aiyegun Zürich (SL) Fabian Rieder Young Boys (SL) Teddy Okou Lausanne-Ouchy (ChL) Francesco Ruberto Schaffhausen (ChL) Anthony Sauthier Lausanne-Ouchy (ChL) Marvin Keller Wil (ChL) Brighton Labeau Lausanne-Sport (ChL) March[88][89] April[90][91] May[92] Cedric Itten Young Boys (SL) Martin Frýdek Luzern (SL) Miroslav Stevanovic Servette (SL) Zeki Amdouni Basel (SL) Cedric Itten Young Boys (SL) Emmanuel Latte Lath St. Gallen (SL) Tosin Aiyegun Zürich (SL) Renato Steffen Lugano (SL) Roman Macek Lugano (SL) Ayumu Seko Grasshopper (SL) Valon Fazliu Aarau (ChL) Jean-Pierre Nsame Young Boys (SL) Gabriel Kyeremateng Thun (ChL) Nikolas Muci Wil (ChL) Liridon Mulaj Lausanne-Ouchy (ChL)

Overall First Half of the Season[93][94] Nat Player Team L Lawrence Ati-Zigi St. Gallen (SL) Cedric Itten Young Boys (SL) David Douline Servette (SL) Koro Kone Yverdon (ChL) Valon Fazliu Aarau (ChL)

Teams

Fair Play

On 14 June 2023, FC Vaduz was awarded the Fair Play Trophy for the dieci Challenge League.^[95]

#	Club				Pts
1	Vaduz	82	1	1	90
2	Yverdon	92	1	0	95
3	Aarau	88	2	1	99
4	Wil	82	3	3	106
5	Schaffhausen	93	5	0	108
6	Thun	101	1	1	109
7	Bellinzona	104	4	1	121
8	Lausanne	90	6	3	123
9	Xamax	100	4	3	127
10	Lausanne-Ouchy	121	3	3	145
League Total		953	30	16	1123
Average/game		5.29	0.17	0.09	6.24

Last updated: 30 May 2023
Source: Fair Play Trophy dieci Challenge League