Liga was also the highest level of amateur football, even though there was an ever-increasing number of clubs in this league that played with professional or semi-professional players in their ranks and this not just in the U-21 teams of the professional clubs.
Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their positions in the league.
The three group winners and the three runners-up, together with the two best third placed teams, then contested a play-off for the four promotion slots.
La Chaux-de-Fonds were later also promoted later on the green table by the Swiss Football Association up to the 2003–04 Challenge League following the fact that FC Sion were refused their licence for that division.
Group 3 champions were Malcantone, runners-up Chiasso and both these teams also achieved promotion.
Third placed team in group 2 La Chaux-de-Fonds were later also promoted to 2003–04 Challenge League, as best loser, following the fact that FC Sion were refused a licence for that division.