Football in Switzerland isn't just about the scenery. Honestly, if you haven't been watching Swiss Super League games lately, you’ve been missing out on one of the most chaotic, unpredictable seasons in recent memory. We’re currently in the thick of the 2025-2026 campaign, and forget what you thought you knew about the usual power dynamics.
Young Boys? Shaky. Basel? Trying to claw back their dignity.
And FC Thun? They are sitting at the top of the table. Yes, you read that right.
The league is currently navigating a mid-January restart after the winter break. As of today, January 14, 2026, the table looks like a fever dream for traditionalists. Thun leads the pack with 40 points after 19 matches, followed closely by a relentless St. Gallen side on 37 points. The gap between "surprise contender" and "relegation fodder" has never felt thinner.
Why the Current Standings are Breaking Brains
Most fans expected Young Boys to dominate. They’ve got the budget, the stadium, and the pedigree. Instead, they are languishing in 6th place with a goal difference of exactly zero. That’s not a typo. They have scored 38 and conceded 38. It’s peak "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" football. One week they are dismantling teams, and the next, they are getting hammered 6-2 by Grasshoppers, which happened just before the break.
FC Thun, on the other hand, is the story everyone is talking about. Returning to the top tier after five years away, they weren't supposed to be here. Yet, they’ve managed 13 wins already. Christopher Ibayi has been a revelation for them, bagging 9 goals so far. They don't just win; they've developed this annoying (for opponents) habit of being incredibly efficient on the road, picking up 21 points away from home—more than any other team in the league.
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The Numbers That Actually Matter Right Now
If you’re looking at Swiss Super League games and trying to figure out who to bet on or follow, look at the efficiency metrics rather than just the names on the shirts.
- Basel’s Defense: Marwin Hitz is essentially a wall right now. He’s kept 7 clean sheets, and Basel has only conceded 20 goals in 19 games. It’s the only reason they are still in 4th and within striking distance of the leaders.
- The "Shaqiri" Effect: Xherdan Shaqiri is back at Basel, and while he’s 34 now, his vision is still ridiculous. He’s sitting on 8 assists. When he plays, Basel’s xG (expected goals) jumps by nearly 0.4 per match.
- St. Gallen’s Home Record: They are a nightmare to play at the kybunpark. They’ve won 6 of their 10 home games and have a +9 goal difference there.
The Relegation Nightmare at the Bottom
It’s easy to focus on the trophy, but the fight to stay up is where the real drama lives. FC Winterthur is in serious trouble. They’ve only managed two wins all season and have a goal difference of -29. Unless they pull off a miracle in the next few weeks, they are looking at direct relegation.
The real "danger zone" is 11th place, currently occupied by Grasshoppers. Under the current format, 11th place doesn't go down immediately; they have to play a high-stakes, two-legged playoff against the second-place team from the Challenge League. It’s a nerve-wracking way to end a season, and with only 17 points, Grasshoppers are desperate to leapfrog Servette or Luzern to find safety.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Format
Switzerland doesn't do a standard "play everyone twice and go home" season anymore. We use the "Scottish Model."
Basically, all 12 teams play each other three times. That takes us to 33 matchdays.
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Then, the league splits. The top six go into the Championship Group to fight for the title and European spots. The bottom six go into the Relegation Group. Points carry over, but you only play the teams in your specific group one more time. This means a team in 7th place could technically have more points than a team in 6th by the end of the year, but they can't win the league because they were in the "bottom" half during the split. It's weird. It’s controversial. But it makes the "split day" in April one of the most intense days in European football.
Upcoming Games to Circle on Your Calendar
We are literally days away from the league resume. If you want to see if the Thun fairy tale is real or if Basel’s resurgence is legitimate, these are the matches that will define the next month:
January 17, 2026: Young Boys vs Lausanne-Sport
This is a "must-win" for YB. If they can't beat 7th-placed Lausanne at home, the whispers about a complete collapse will become shouts. Christian Fassnacht and Chris Bedia (both on 11 goals) need to find their rhythm early.
January 18, 2026: Basel vs Sion
Sion is currently 5th and has been surprisingly stubborn. They drew 0-0 with Young Boys and beat St. Gallen earlier in the season. Basel needs to win this to prove they are the primary challengers to Thun.
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January 25, 2026: Thun vs Young Boys
This is the big one. The upstarts vs the establishment. If Thun wins this, people will stop calling them "lucky" and start calling them "favorites."
Tactical Trends in 2026
Tactically, the league has shifted. A few years ago, it was all about sitting back and countering. Now, thanks to coaches like Fabio Celestini and the influence of the "Red Bull" style at various clubs, the average goals per match is sitting at a healthy 3.39. Teams are pressing higher. They are taking more risks. Even a "smaller" game like Winterthur vs St. Gallen is likely to see plenty of transition play and shots from distance.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are following Swiss Super League games this month, keep these specific factors in mind to stay ahead of the curve:
- Watch the "Goal Difference" of Young Boys: Their inability to keep a clean sheet (conceding 38 in 19 games) suggests their defensive structure is fundamentally broken. Until they sign a center-back or change their double-pivot, avoid backing them to win comfortably.
- Monitor the Winter Transfer Window: The window is open right now. Basel is rumored to be looking for a younger striker to complement Ajeti, while Thun is desperately trying to hold onto Christopher Ibayi. A single transfer this week could shift the title odds significantly.
- The "Home/Away" Disparity: Lugano is a completely different beast at the Cornaredo Stadium (average 2.00 points per game) compared to when they travel (only 1.44 points). Always check the venue before making any assumptions about the result.
- Weather Factor: Late January in Switzerland means heavy pitches and cold winds. Technical teams like Servette often struggle more in these conditions than physical sides like Sion or St. Gallen.
The league is scheduled to conclude on May 17, 2026, but the foundation for that finish is being laid right now in these cold January fixtures. Whether Thun can maintain this insane pace or if the "big boys" finally wake up is the only question that matters.
To stay updated, monitor the official SFL (Swiss Football League) match reports immediately after the weekend fixtures to catch injury updates on key players like Fassnacht or Shaqiri, as squad depth will be the deciding factor once the league splits in April. Focus on the "points per game" metric over the next four weeks; any team averaging above 1.8 during this period is almost guaranteed a spot in the Championship Group.