The 1938–39 Swiss Cup was the 14th edition of Switzerland's football cup competition, organised annually since the 1925–26 season by the Swiss Football Association.
Overview This season's cup competition began with a preliminary round which was played during the last two week-ends of August 1938. The first round was played at the beginning of September, in advance of the league season. The competition was to be completed on Easter Monday, 10 April 1939, with the final, which since a few years, was held in the country's capital in Bern, at the former Wankdorf Stadium.
The preliminary round was held for the lower league teams that had not qualified themselves for the competition. These were 20 teams from the 2. Liga (third tier). The lower league teams that had qualified via their regional football association's own cup competitions, or had achieved their association's requirements, joined the competition in the first round. The clubs from this season's 1. Liga were given a bye for the first round and started in the second round. The clubs from the 1938–39 Nationalliga were given byes for the first three rounds. These teams joined the competition in the fourth round which was played, with one exception on the second Sunday of the New Year.
The matches were played in a knockout format. In the event of a draw after 90 minutes, the match went into extra time. In the event of a draw at the end of extra time, if agreed between the clubs, a replay was foreseen and this was played on the visiting team's pitch. If the replay ended in a draw after extra time, or if a replay had not been agreed, a toss of a coin would establish the team that qualified for the next round.
Preliminary round The lower league teams that had not qualified themselves for the competition via their regional football association's own regional cup competitions or had not achieved their assocciation's requirements, competed here in a second chance round. Reserve teams were not admitted to the competition. The draw respected local regionalities. The preliminary round was played at the end of August in advance of the league season.
Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|21 August 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|28 August 1938
Matches
Both teams played the 1938/39 season in the 2. Liga (third tier).
Round 1 In the first round, the lower league teams that had already qualified themselves for the competition through their regional football association's own regional requirements competed here, together with the winners of the preliminary round. All the teams from this years 1. Liga were given a bye for this round and so they started the competition in the second round. Whenever possible, the draw respected local regionalities. The first round took place on the first and second week-ends in September.
Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|4 September 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|11 September 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|18 September 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|2 October 1938
Replays
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|2 October 1938
Round 2 The winning teams from the first round were joined by the 24 teams from this years reorganised 1. Liga to compete in the second round, that was played, with one exception, at the beginning of November. Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|2 October 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|6 November 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|13 November 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|20 November 1938
Replays
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|13 November 1938
Note: FC Porrentruy declaired forfeit, the game was awarded 0–3, so Black Stars qualified for the next round.
Matches
FC Wohlen played the 1938/39 season in the 2. Liga (third tier), Aarau in the 1. Liga (second tier).
SC Wipkingen played the 1938/39 season in the 2. Liga (third tier), Zürich in the 1. Liga (second tier).
Round 3 Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|20 November 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|11 December 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|18 December 1938
Note (t): Match Monthey–Espérance no replay was agreed between the two teams. Espérance qualified on toss of a coin. Replay
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|1 January 1939
Matches
FC Olten played the 1938/39 season in the 2. Liga (third tier).
FC Wädenswil played the 1938/39 season in the 3. Liga (fourth tier).
Round 4 The teams from this season's Nationalliga, who had received byes for the first three rounds, entered the cup competition in this round. The teams from the Nationalliga were seeded and could not be drawn against each other. Whenever possible, the draw respected local regionalities. The first game of the fourth round was played in December, but the rest were played after the New Year. Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|11 December 1938
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|8 January 1939
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|22 January 1939
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|29 January 1939
Note: The match La Chaux-de-Fonds–Urania was played in Genève. Note: The match Montreux–Vevey was abandoned after 90 minutes, extra-time was not played due to bad pitch and replayed. Note: The match Espérance–Lausanne-Sport was played in Lausanne. Note: The match Kreuzlingen–Young Fellows was played in Zürich. Note: The match Zürich–Lugano was played in Lugano.
Replays
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|22 January 1939
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|29 January 1938
Matches
Forward Morges played the 1938/39 season in the 1. Liga (second tier), Servette in the Nationaliga (top-tier).
Zürich played the 1938/39 season in the 1. Liga (second tier), Lugano in the Nationaliga (top-tier).
Concordia played the 1938/39 season in the 1. Liga (second tier), Basel in the Nationaliga (top-tier). Concordia waivered home-advantage and the game was played in FC Basel's home stadium.
Young Boys played the 1938/39 season in the Nationaliga (top-tier). Aarau in the 1. Liga (second tier)
Round 5 Summery
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|29 January 1939
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|5 February 1939
Replay
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|12 February 1939
Matches
Fribourg played the 1938/39 season in the 1. Liga (second tier).
Brühl played the 1938/39 season in the 1. Liga (second tier).
Quarter-finals Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|19 February 1939
Matches
Both teams played the 1938/39 season in the 1. Liga (second tier).
Semi-finals Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|5 March 1939
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|7 April 1939
Matches
Final The final was traditionally held in the capital Bern, at the former Wankdorf Stadium, on Easter Monday 1938. Summary
|colspan="3" style="background-color:#99CCCC"|10 April 1939
Telegram
Lausanne-Sport won the cup and this was the club's second cup title to this date.
Further in Swiss football 1938–39 Nationalliga 1938–39 Swiss 1. Liga 1938–39 FC Basel season 1938–39 BSC Young Boys season
References
Sources Fussball-Schweiz FCB Cup games 1938–39 at fcb-achiv.ch Switzerland 1938–39 at RSSSF