“FC Baden: Why they Should be Included in the Challenge League”

A healthy financial budget, players with regional roots, functioning youth development, a team core that has worked well together for years, a family club atmosphere, an offensive and attractive style of play, a small stadium with modern standards and probably the best average attendance in the Promotion League. This is FC Baden.

FC Baden is a club for nostalgics and football romantics. If you could have bought a Luca Ladner shirt ten years ago, you could still put it on on game day and cheer for the number 17 captain. Sure, Ladner stops in the summer. But the example shows how the association works. Other top performers such as Yves Weilenmann (since 2014), Patrick Muff (since 2014) and Cedric Franek (since 2015) have been with us for ages.

There are fewer and fewer clubs in professional football that function like FC Baden does. Commercialization ensures that football is becoming increasingly artificial and fast-moving. In Switzerland, too, where the small SFL leagues of 10 have caused a lot of nervousness in recent years, many of these qualities have been lost. Quick success often takes precedence over a sustainable strategy. Players and coaches come and go, club loyalty no longer matters.

An enrichment for the Challenge League

Now FC Baden wants to get promoted. In terms of sport, he has achieved this goal. The second direct promotion place can no longer be taken away from him. But the Swiss Football League could become a killjoy. In the first instance, it did not issue a license to the people of Baden. The sticking point: The light in the Esp stadium is not bright enough for TV broadcasts.

While a solution is on the horizon thanks to the city’s pre-financing of a new facility, it won’t be operational until September. Until then, FC Baden would even make financial cuts and play their home games in a different stadium. An alternative option was also given.

To get to the point: FC Baden has done everything to meet the high standards of the Swiss Football League. And he brings an overall package that would be an enrichment for the Challenge League in every respect. The SFL is therefore well advised to welcome FC Baden next Friday with a kiss on the hand among the Swiss professional clubs.