Swiss League CEO targets European recovery as top clubs lose ground
IMAGO | For Claudius Schäfer, the league can create the conditions for European success, but the clubs ultimately have to deliver.
The Recap
Claudius Schäfer, CEO of the Swiss Football League, is looking at how the competition can reverse its European decline after weaker results from its biggest clubs.
Data Insight
Squad values at Basel and Young Boys trail those of leading clubs in most comparable mid-sized European leagues.
Why It Matters
The league relies on clubs delivering consistently in Europe to build coefficient points, sustain transfer values and support a financial model heavily dependent on player trading.
The Perspective
Switzerland’s challenge reflects a wider dilemma for mid-sized European leagues seeking ways to differentiate themselves while remaining competitive internationally.
16 September 2026 - 3:00 PM
Last season, FC Thun won the Swiss Super League for the first time only 12 months after promotion, making them the fourth different champion in five seasons. For a league long dominated by FC Basel and Young Boys, that openness has been good for attendances and for the product the league sells.
It has also come at a cost. The title race is open partly because the two clubs that used to control it have weakened, and they are the clubs Switzerland has historically reli
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