St. Gallen and FC Basel get their 2025–26 Swiss Super League campaigns underway with a clash at Kybunpark. The hosts will be looking to defend their title while the visitors are targeting an improvement on last season's eighth-placed finish.
St. Gallen are hoping for some improvement this season. However, they have been unconvincing in preseason and are winless in four straight matches, battling to a 2-2 draw with Villarreal in their final warm-up fixture.
The hosts have mirrored their struggles from the tail end of last season, as they ended the campaign winless in four of their final five Super League matches. However, Enrico Maassen’s men did claim a 3-2 victory over Sion in their final home fixture in the league.
Basel, on the other hand, come into this encounter full of confidence as defending champions. Ludovic Magnin’s men were unbeaten in preseason and played out a 3-3 draw with Villarreal in their final warm-up fixture.
The champions had some impressive showings on their travels last season and ended the campaign with four wins from their final five Super League away matches. RotBlau will be looking to pick up where they left off in Saturday's opening fixture.
How the bookies view it: Bookies backing Basel
Basel have been installed as overwhelming favourites among the bookies and are priced at 5/6 by BoyleSports to claim the win. St Gallen are outsiders at home, with a victory offered at 11/5 while a draw is set at odds of 5/2.
Head to head: Upper hand for Basel
Basel have a 43-18 advantage with 21 draws from 82 previous matches against St Gallen. However, both teams drew their two meetings last season, with the clash at Kybunpark ending in a 2-2 scoreline.
Players to watch: Eyes on Shaqiri
Basel’s veteran playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri lit up the Swiss Super League last term, netting 18 goals across the regular season and Championship play-offs. Albian Ajeti also caught the eye last season and can produce over 1.5 goals for the visitors (Basel over 1.5 goals – 8/11 with BoyleSports).
Willem Geubbels is the danger man for St. Gallen and bagged 14 goals last season. The French striker is likely to be joined up front by Carlo Boukhalfa, and both men can combine for over 0.5 goals – available at 3/10.
Probable line-ups:
With first-choice shot-stopper Lawrence Ati Zigi sidelined through injury, Lukas Watkowiak is expected to start in goal for St. Gallen. Jozo Stanic and Tom Gaal should hold the fort at the back, with Mihailo Stevanovic in midfield and Geubbels leading the line.
For Basel, Marwin Hitz looks nailed on to start between the sticks, with Nicolas Vouilloz and Jonas Adjetey likely to continue their defensive pairing. Leo Leroy is tipped to line up in midfield alongside Koba Koindredi, while Shaqiri should slot in just behind Albian Ajeti in attack.
St. Gallen: Watkowiak; Stanic, Gaal, May, Stevanovic, Vandermersch, Gortler, Konietzke, Vogt, Geubbels, Boukhalfa
Basel: Hitz, Schmid, Vouilloz, Adjetey, Tsunemoto, Leroy, Koindredi, Shaqiri, Traore, Otele, Ajeti
Anything else catch the eye?
Three of St Gallen's last four matches have produced over 3.5 goals – offered at 6/4 by BoyleSports, who are offering 6/10 for over 2.5 goals. Basel have scored the first goal in three of the last five meetings (Basel to score first – valued at 7/10).
Basel have scored in both halves in three of the last five matches against St Gallen (Basel to score in both halves priced at 17/10).
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