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| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Affiliation | AFL Europe |
| Location | Switzerland |
| President | Stefan Burgener |
| Official website | |
| www | |
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AFL Switzerland is an Australian rules football league in Switzerland. Founded in 2019, [1] it is an official affiliation of AFL Europe. For the 2022 season, there are four clubs, plus a combined team, the Northern Bears. Teams are composed of males and females.
AFL in Switzerland was begun in Lugano around 2009. A men's team partook in the AFL Italia League in 2010. From this team developed a Swiss national team, who competed in the 2010 Euro Cup, and the Lugano men's team competed in the Italian league. A women's team competed in the 2011 Euro Cup in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Due to a lack of funding, the teams did not return to either competition. [2]
In 2016, a group of amateurs began holding Australian rules football training sessions in Winterthur, Switzerland. This continued through 2017, culminating in the sending of a team to the 2017 Euro Cup in Bordeaux.
In February 2017, the Winterthur Lions AFC was officially founded. [3] Two new clubs, the Basel Dragons AFC and the Geneva Jets, were founded in October 2018.
AFL Switzerland was established in 2019 and completed its inaugural season with the above three clubs in the senior ladder. Zurich Giants joined the league for the 2020 season. Rapperswil-Jona started up in January 2020 and planned to have teams ready for 2021.
There are four clubs in four cities: Basel ( the Dragons ), Geneva (the Jets), Winterthur (the Lions) and Zürich (the Giants).
The Northern Bears is a combined team that plays in the reserves division. Clubs who have representatives in the Bears team are marked with an asterisk below.
| Club | Moniker | Home | Teams | Established |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basel | Dragons | Sportplatz Pruntrutermatte, Basel | Senior, Reserve* | 2018 |
| Geneva | Jets | Centre sportif de Vessy, Geneva | Senior, Reserve | 2018 |
| Northern Bears | Bears | Reserve | 2018 | |
| Winterthur | Lions | Fussballplatz Talgut, Winterthur | Senior, Reserve* | 2017 |
| Zurich | Giants | Zürich | Senior | 2019 |
The AFL Switzerland seasons run from April or May to September. For the 2022 season, the rounds take place on 30 April, 14 May, 11 June, 2 July, 27 August, with the Grand Final on 17 September. [4]
There are five rounds, followed by a Grand Final in September. At the end of each round, there is a boat race. Teams play each other five times during the regular season.
The Swiss Super League is a Swiss professional league in the top tier of the Swiss football league system and has been played in its current format since the 2003–04 season. As of January 2022, the Swiss Super League is ranked 14th in Europe according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions. The 2023–24 season will be the 127th season of the Swiss top-flight, making it the longest continuously running top-flight national league.
Australian rules football is played in Europe at an amateur level in a large number of countries. The oldest and largest leagues are those in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark, in each of these nations there are several established clubs, and organised men's, women's and juniors programs. The British AFL has now expanded into Welsh, Scottish and English leagues. The Danish AFL has been responsible for the expansion of Australian Football into Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway. The governing body for Australian Football in Europe was founded in Frankfurt in January 2010; the body was initially called the European Australian Football Association, but changed its name to AFL Europe at a general assembly meeting in Milan in October of the same year. It currently has 22 member nations. AFL Europe, with backing of the AFL in Australia has overseen a large improvement in the organisation of Australian football in Europe.
Cricket Switzerland, formerly the Swiss Cricket Association (SCA) incorporated in the Canton of Zürich, is the first governing body of cricket in Switzerland.
The Zurich Renegades are an American football team from Zürich, Switzerland. The club, formed in 1983, is the oldest still existing American football club in Switzerland. With seven Swiss Bowl victories the Renegades have the second most after the Calanda Broncos.
The 1971–72 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 78th season in their existence. It was their 26th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. The club's chairman was Félix Musfeld for the second year in a row.
The 1972–73 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 79th season in their existence. It was their 27th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. Félix Musfeld was the club's chairman for the third year in a row.
The Fussball Club Basel 1893 1974–75 season was their 81st season since the club was founded. It was their 29th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after they won promotion during the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. Félix Musfeld was club chairman for the fifth consecutive period.
The Fussball Club Basel 1893 1982–83 season was their 89th season since the club was founded. It was their 37th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after they won promotion during the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. Roland Rasi was appointed as the club's chairman at the AGM, he replaced Pierre Jacques Lieblich who stood down.
The Basel Dragons AFC is an Australian rules football club located in Basel, Switzerland. It plays in the AFL Switzerland, of which it is one of the founding members.
The 1951–52 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 58th season in their existence. It was their sixth season in Nationalliga A the top flight of Swiss football following their promotion from the Nationalliga B in the season 1945–46. Basel played their home games in the Landhof, in the Quarter Kleinbasel. Jules Düblin was the club's chairman for the sixth successive season.
The 1956–57 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 63rd season in their existence. It was their eleventh consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion from the Nationalliga B in 1945–46. They played their home games in the Landhof, in the Wettstein Quarter in Kleinbasel. Jules Düblin was again the club's chairman. At the AGM he was voted as club chairman for his eleventh successive term.
The 1957–58 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 64th season in their existence. It was their twelfth consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion from the Nationalliga B the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the Landhof, in the Wettstein Quarter in Kleinbasel. Jules Düblin was the club's chairman for his twelfth successive period.
The 1958–59 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 65th season in their existence. It was their thirteenth consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion from the Nationalliga B the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the Landhof, in the Wettstein Quarter in Kleinbasel. Jules Düblin was the club's chairman for his 13th successive, but final, period. Düblin presided the club during the period July 1946 until Mai 1959 and in the club's history he is the most permanent president that the club has had to date.
The 1959–60 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 66th season in their existence. It was their 14th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football since their promotion from the Nationalliga B the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the Landhof, in the Wettstein Quarter in Kleinbasel. Ernst Weber was the club's new chairman taking over from Jules Düblin after the AGM on 27 May 1959. Düblin presided the club during the period July 1946 until Mai 1959 and in the club's history he is the most permanent president that the club has had to date.
The 2019–20 BSC Young Boys season was the club's 95th season in existence and the club's 24th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football. In addition to the domestic league, Young Boys participated in this season's editions of the Swiss Cup and the UEFA Champions League. The season covered the period from 1 July 2019 to 30 August 2020.
The 2020–21 FC Zürich season was the club's 125th season in existence and the fourth consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football. In addition to the domestic league, Zürich participated in this season's edition of the Swiss Cup. The season covered the period from 11 August 2020 to 30 June 2021.
The 2022–23 season was the 122nd season in the history of FC Luzern and their 17th consecutive season in the top flight. The club participated in Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup.
The 2022–23 season was the 114th in the history of FC Sion and their 15th consecutive season in the top flight. The club participated in Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.
The 2022–23 season was the 127th season in the history of FC Winterthur and their first season back in the top flight. The club participated in Swiss Super League and the Swiss Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.
The 2022–23 Servette FC season was the club's 133rd season in existence and the fourth consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football. In addition to the domestic league, Servette participated in this season's edition of the Swiss Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.
