The 1960–61 1. Liga season was the 29th season of the 1. Liga since its creation in 1931. At this time, the 1. Liga was the third-tier of the Swiss football league system and it was the highest level of total amateur football. At this time the clubs in the two higher divisions in Switzerland were beginning to employ semi-professional or even professional players.

There were 36 teams competing in the 1. Liga 1960–61 season. They were divided into three regional groups, each group with 12 teams. Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position. Two points were awarded for a win. The three group winners then contested a play-off round to decide the two promotion slots. The last placed team in each group were directly relegated to the 2. Liga (fourth tier). The three second last placed teams were to contest a play-out to decide the fourth relegation slot.

Club	Based in	Canton	Stadium	Capacity
FC Bözingen 34[1]	Biel/Bienne	Bern	Längfeld	1,000
SC Burgdorf[2]	Burgdorf	Bern	Stadion Neumatt	3,850
Étoile Carouge FC	Carouge	Geneva	Stade de la Fontenette	3,690
FC Langenthal[3]	Langenthal	Bern	Rankmatte	2,000
ES FC Malley	Malley	Vaud	Centre sportif de la Tuilière	1,500
FC Monthey	Monthey	Valais	Stade Philippe Pottier	1,800
FC Forward Morges[4]	Morges	Vaud	Parc des Sports	600
FC Raron[5]	Raron	Valais	Sportplatz Rhoneglut	1,000
FC Sierre[6]	Sierre	Valais	Complexe Ecossia	2,000
FC Stade Payerne[7]	Payerne	Vaud	Stade Municipal	1,100
FC Versoix[8]	Versoix	Geneva	Centre sportif de la Bécassière	1,000
FC Xamax	Neuchâtel	Neuchâtel	Stade de la Maladière	25,500

Club	Based in	Canton	Stadium	Capacity
FC Alle	Alle	Jura	Centre Sportif Régional	2,000
FC Baden	Baden	Aargau	Esp Stadium	7,000
FC Bassecourt[10]	Bassecourt	Jura	Stade des Grands-Prés	3,650
FC Concordia Basel	Basel	Basel-Stadt	Stadion Rankhof	7,000
SR Delémont	Delémont	Jura	La Blancherie	5,263
FC Dietikon[11]	Dietikon	Zürich	Fussballplatz Dornau	1,000
FC Lengnau[12]	Lengnau	Bern	Moos Lengnau BE	3,900
FC Moutier[13]	Moutier	Bern	Stade de Chalière	5,000
BSC Old Boys	Basel	Basel-Stadt	Stadion Schützenmatte	8,000
FC Porrentruy[14]	Porrentruy	Jura	Stade du Tirage	4,226
FC Solothurn	Solothurn	Solothurn	Stadion FC Solothurn	6,750
FC Wettingen	Wettingen	Aargau	Stadion Altenburg	10,000

Club	Based in	Canton	Stadium	Capacity
FC Blue Stars Zürich[15]	Zürich	Zürich	Hardhof	1,000
FC Bodio[16]	Bodio	Ticino	Campo comunale Pollegio	1,000
FC Emmenbrücke	Emmen	Lucerne	Stadion Gersag	8,700
SV Höngg	Zürich	Zürich	Hönggerberg	1,000
AS Lamone-Cadempino	Lamone	Ticino
FC Locarno	Locarno	Ticino	Stadio comunale Lido	5,000
FC Rapid Lugano[17]	Lugano	Ticino	Cornaredo Stadium	6,330
FC Red Star Zürich	Zürich	Zürich	Allmend Brunau	2,000
FC Solduno[18]	Locarno	Ticino	Campo Morettina / Stadio del Lido	1,000 / 5,000
FC St. Gallen	St. Gallen	St. Gallen	Espenmoos	11,000
FC Vaduz	Vaduz	Liechtenstein	Rheinpark Stadion	7,584
FC Wil	Wil	St. Gallen	Sportpark Bergholz	6,048

The three group winners played single a round-robin for the two promotion slots and for the championship. The games were played on 18 and 25 June and 2 July 1961.

FC Porrentruy became 1. Liga champions. The champions and the runners-up FC Bodio were promoted to 1961–62 Nationalliga B. SC Burgdorf remained in the division.^[9]

The three second last placed teams in each group, contested a play-out to decide the fourth and last relegation slot. The games were played on 18 and 25 June and 2 July 1961.

Delémont and Malley remained in the division. FC Wil were relegated to 2. Liga.^[9]

• 1960–61 Nationalliga A
• 1960–61 Nationalliga B
• 1960–61 Swiss Cup

• Switzerland 1960–61 at RSSSF