The Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) had 28 members at this time.
The format in both divisions was that the teams played a double round-robin to decide their table positions.
In the championship group the teams played another double round-robin and each team took half of the points gained in the first stage, rounded up to complete units, as bonus with them.
The top two teams in the NLB were promoted to top-level.
The season was completed on 20 May and the championship group on 30 June 1980.