The Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) had 28 member clubs at this time and these were devided into two divisions of 14 teams each.
The teams played a double round-robin to decide their table positions.
The top tier (NLA) was contested by the top 12 teams from the previous season and the two newly promoted teams St. Gallen and FC Grenchen.
This season's champions would qualify for the 1972–73 European Cup.
The second and third placed teams were to be qualified for the 1972–73 UEFA Cup, but because second placed Zürich won the 1971–72 Swiss Cup, these UEFA rights were passed down to the third and fourth placed teams.