Pre-season Helmut Benthaus was first-team manager for the seventeenth consecutive season. During the off-season four players left the squad,
Ernst Schleiffer moved on to
Grenchen,
Peter Marti to
Aarau,
Markus Tanner to
Luzern and
Joseph Küttel moved on to
Lugano. During the season
Hansruedi Schär was loaned out to
Nordstern Basel and during the winter break
Detlev Lauscher moved on to
Luzern. In the other direction goalkeeper
Walter Eichenberger joined from
Young Boys and defender
Bruno Graf joined from
Chiasso. Basel also signed two youngsters,
Alfred Lüthi from FC Subingen and
Beat Sutter joined from local club FC Gelterkinden. The biggest transfer this summer was that of former
West German international Harald Nickel from
Borussia Mönchengladbach. Basel played a total of 54 games in their 1981–82 season. 30 matches were played in the domestic league, six in the
Swiss Cup, three in the
Swiss League Cup, five in the
Cup of the Alps and 10 were friendly matches. The team scored a total of 101 goals and conceded 80. Of their 10 test games, six were won and four ended with a defeat. Five of these games were played at home in
St. Jakob Stadium and five were played away.
Domestic league Basel played in the
1981–82 Nationalliga A. The league championship format was expanded from the
1980–81 season to include sixteen teams and the last two teams were to be relegated. Basel ended the season in eighth position, 21 points behind
Grasshopper Club who became champions. In their 30 league games Basel won eleven, drew six and lost thirteen matches, which meant that the totaled 28 points. They scored 47 goals, conceding 51. Local rivals
Nordstern Basel and
Chiasso finished in the last two slots and suffered relegation.
Swiss Cup Basel entered into the
Swiss Cup in the round of 64. Here they were drawn away against
Sursee and on 26 September they won the match, 9–1. In the round of 32 they were drawn away against
Bellinzona and this match was on 31 October and Basel won, 1–0. In the round of 16 they were drawn away from home against
Aarau on 30 March 1982 and this match was won, 3–2. In the quarterfinal Basel played at home against
Lausanne-Sport and this ended with a 2–1 victory. The semi-final was played on 4 May in the
St. Jakob Stadium against
SR Delémont and Basel won 3–0. In the Final, played in the
Wankdorf Stadium, was against
Sion. After a free kick on the sideline, in the 21st minute, a headed goal from
Alain Balet secured Sion the trophy.
Swiss League Cup In first round of the
Swiss League Cup Basel were also drawn at home against
Young Boys and a 1–0 victory took them to the next round. Here they played away against
Grenchen and came away with a 2–1 victory. In the quarterfinal Basel played on the
Stadion Brügglifeld but were eliminated by
Aarau.
Coppa delle Alpi Basel were not qualified to play any of the European competitions, but they did enter the
Coppa delle Alpi. They played together with
Lausanne-Sport in Group A against
Bordeaux and
Bastia. Basel won the group and continued to the final, which was played on 29 September 1981 in Basel against
Sochaux. They game ended 2–2 after extra time and Basel won on penalties. == Players ==