The 1965–66 Swiss Cup was the 41st season of Switzerland's football cup competition, organised annually since 1925–26 by the ASF/SFV.
Overview.
This season's cup competition began on the weekend of 11 and 12 September 1965, with the games of the first round. The competition was to be completed on Easter Monday 11 April 1966 with the final, which was traditionally held at the former Wankdorf Stadium in Bern. The clubs from this season's Nationalliga B (NLB) were given byes for the first two rounds and entered the competition in the third round. The clubs from this season's Nationalliga A (NLA) were granted byes for the first three rounds. These teams joined the competition in the fourth round, which was played on the week-end of 6 and 7 November.
The matches were played in a knockout format. In the event of a draw after 90 minutes, the match went into extra time. In the event of a draw at the end of extra time, a replay was foreseen and this was played on the visiting team's pitch. If the replay ended in a draw after extra time, a toss of a coin would decide the outcome of the encounter. The cup winners qualified themselves for the first round of the Cup Winners' Cup in the next season.
Round 1.
In the first phase, the first and second rounds, the lower league teams (1. Liga and lower) that had qualified themselves for the competition through their regional football association's regional cup competitions or their association's requirements, competed here. Whenever possible, the draw respected local regionalities. The first round was played on the weekend of 11 and 12 September 1965.
Round 3.
The teams from the NLB entered the cup competition in this round. However, they were seeded and could not be drawn against each other. Whenever possible, the draw respected local regionalities. The lower-tier team in each encounter was granted home advantage, if they so wished. The third round was played on the week-end of 16 and 17 October.
Round 4.
The teams from the NLA entered the cup competition in the fourth round, they were seeded and could not be drawn against each other. The draw was still respecting regionalities, but the lower-tier team was not automatically granted home advantage. The fourth round was played on the week-end of 6 and 7 November.
Final.
The final was held at the former Wankdorf Stadium in Bern on Easter Monday 1966.
Telegram.
Zürich won the cup and this was the club's very first cup title to this date. As they also won the 1965–66 Nationalliga A to become Swiss champions (for the fourth time), this was their first the domenstic double.<ref name="dbFCZ-FCZ-Rangliste-1965/66"></ref>