AC Bellinzona

Because Bellinzona is an Italian-speaking region, many of Italy's Serie A clubs have loaned youth players to the club to get first team experience. Bellinzona was promoted to the Swiss Super League after beating St. Gallen 5–2 on aggregate in the relegation play-off following the 2007–2008 season. Bellinzona played at the top level in the 2008–2009 season for the first time since the 1989–90 season. As finalists in the Swiss Cup, the team also qualified for the 08-09 UEFA Cup where it beat Ararat Yerevan of Armenia in the 1st qualifying round. Then they knocked-out Ukrainian FC Dnipro on away goal rule (2:3 in Dnipropetrovsk, and 2:1 home victory, 4:4 aggregate). In third qualifying round they faced Galatasaray losing both games 3:4 at home ground and 1:2 in Istanbul. In 2013 before the 2013–14 season of 1. Liga Promotion the club was declared bankrupt. After staying one season playing only at young divisions, the club went back to professional football, joining the 2014–15 2.Liga. After two years in 1. Liga Classic, the club finished first in 2018 and was promoted to the 1. Liga Promotion for the 2018–19 season. In the 2021–22 Swiss Promotion League, Bellinzona reached second place during the regular season. In the promotion round, they were able eke out a first-place finish ahead of FC Breitenrain to gain promotion to the Swiss Challenge League. As Breitenrain withdrew their license request, Bellinzona would have been promoted even had they not won the season. Their…

Swiss Super League Champions: 1947–48 Swiss Challenge League Champions: 1942–43 (Lost promotion play-off), 1943–44 (Won promotion play-off), 1975–76, 1979–80, 1999–2000 (Lost promotion play-off) Swiss Promotion League Champions: 2021–22 1. Liga Classic Champions: 1931–32, 1935–36, 1998–99, 2017–18 2. Liga Champions: 1920–21 (as 4th tier), 2014–15 (as 6th tier)