The Federal Council has passed a directive that allows them to directly help out professional clubs in Switzerland with loans of a total of CHF 350 million over two years. It also allows them to support semi-professional sport clubs if they play in their highest respective league, including women's football and hockey.
A club can borrow up to one-quarter of their operating costs during the 2018-19 season and would have ten years to pay back their loans. If they do not manage to do so within the first three years, they will have to reduce their salaries by 20 percent (but only the ones that are above CHF 148,000.-).
The federation is permitted to grant a postponement of priority if that would help a club repay a loan.
As the clubs currently are very limited when it comes to revenue generated through tickets and gastronomy, the Federal Council is also looking into further supporting clubs. A possible option would be à fonds perdu contributions.
