Pre-season

Helmut Benthaus was the club player-manager for the third consecutive season. He and his team were the defending league champions. There were no big amaêndments to the squad, one reserve goalkeeper left and one reserve goalkeeper advanced to them and defender Manfred Schädler joined from local club FC Birsfelden and striker Dieter Rüefli joined from Winterthur. Basel played a total of 42 matches in this season. 26 of these games were in the domestic league, two were in the Swiss Cup, two were in the European Cup, five were in the Cup of the Alps and seven were friendly matches. Of these seven test games five were won and two ended with a draw.^[1]

Domestic league

There were 14 teams contesting in the 1967–68 Nationalliga A. These were the top 12 teams from the previous 1966–67 season and the two newly promoted teams Luzern and Bellinzona. Basel, as reigning champions, played a mediocre season. Although they were within reach of the table top all the time, they messed everything up towards the end of the season as they lost five games out of seven. Therefore they finished the season in fifth position. They were seven points behind the trio Zürich, Grasshopper Club and Lugano who all ended the season with 38 points. These three team then had to play a championship play-off round and Zürich won both games and became champions. Basel won 13 of the league 26 games, drawing five, losing eight times, and they scored 49 goals conceding 33.^[2] The trio Roberto Frigerio, Helmut Hauser and Dieter Rüefli were the team's top goal scorers in the domestic league, each netted nine times.^[3]

Swiss Cup

In the Swiss Cup Basel started in the round of 32 with a home match against lower classed FC Le Locle. But the game had to go into overtime. After Le Locle took the lead just after half time break, Frigerio netted the equaliser shortly before the end. In the overtime player-manager Helmut Benthaus managed the winning goal. In the next round Basel played an away game against FC Zürich, but were defeated 0–1 and this campaign was ended very quickly.^[4]

European Cup

As reigning champions Basel were qualified for the 1967–68 European Cup. In the first round they were drawn against Danish team Hvidovre. The first leg was in the St. Jakob Stadium. Despite an early lead scored by Hauser, the Danes turned the game and won. In the return leg in stadium Idrætsparken in Copenhagen, Hauser again scored the early lead. Again the Dames turned the match and shortly after half time went into a 3–1 lead. This time Basel were fighting against the defeat and drew level at 3–3 but could not manage to score a winning goal, which would have put them through to the next round.^[5]

Friendly matches

Pre-season

Karlsruher SC v Basel

29 July 1967 Pre-season	Karlsruher SC	3 – 3	Basel	Wildparkstadion, Karlsruhe
	Kafka 5' (1:0) Hausser 9' (2:1) Zaczyk 23' (3:3)	Summary	7' (1:1) Frigerio 15' (2:2) Rüefli 17' (2:3) Odermatt	Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Eisenmann

SV Schopfheim v Basel

2 August 1967 Pre-season	SV Schopfheim	1 – 8	Basel	Oberfeldstadion, Schopfheim
		Summary	(4x) Rüefli (2x) Frigerio (1x) Hauser (1x) Odermatt

Basel v SK Slavia Prague

5 August 1967 Pre-season	Basel	2 – 2	SK Slavia Prague	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Frigerio 67' (1:1) Hauser 74' (2:1)	Summary	8' (0:1) Novak 79' (2:2) Vesely	Attendance: 6,500 Referee: Eugen Boller Bottmingen

Winter break and mid-season

Basel v St. Gallen

11 February 1968 Winter break	Basel	4 – 0	St. Gallen	Landhof, Basel
14:30	Rüefli 29' (1:0) Ramseier 59' (2:0) Hauser 70' (3:0) Rüefli 88' (4:0)	Summary		Attendance: 3,000 Referee: J. Heymann Arlesheim

Basel v Schaffhausen

18 February 1968 Winter break	Basel	4 – 0	Schaffhausen	Landhof, Basel
14:30	Rüefli 6' (1:0) Rüefli 30' (2:0) Mundschin 31' (3:0) Rüefli 85' (4:0)	Summary		Attendance: 1,300 Referee: H. R. Keller Basel

Basel v Solothurn

24 February 1968 Pre-season	Basel	4 – 0	Solothurn	Landhof, Basel
	Ramseier 9' (1:0) Rüefli 10' (2:0) Ramseier 41' (3:0) Odermatt 73' (4:0)	Summary		Attendance: 300 Referee: Peter Hänggi Aesch

Thun v Basel

16 March 1968 Mid-season	Thun	1 – 4	Basel	Stadion Lachen, Thun
	Balmer 5' (1:0)	Summary	23' (1:1) Rüefli 48' (1:2) Hauser 48' (1:3) Rüefli 66' (1:4) Hauser	Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Gerber Langenthal

Nationalliga A

League matches

Luzern v Basel

20 August 1967 Round 1	Luzern	4 – 2	Basel	Stadion Allmend, Luzern
16:00	Richter 1' (1:0) Richter 14' (2:0) Wechselberger 63' (3:2) Bertschi 90+1' (4:2)	Summary	43' (2:1) Hauser 54' (2:2) Odermatt	Attendance: 13,500 Referee: Rudolf Scheurer Bettlach

Sion v Basel

27 August 1967 Round 2	Sion	0 – 0	Basel	Parc des Sports, Sion
16:00		Summary		Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Roland Keller Bern

Basel v Grenchen

2 September 1967 Round 3	Basel	3 – 1	Grenchen	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Hauser 39' (1:0) Pfirter 49' (2:0) Rüefli 83' (3:0)	Summary	88' (3:1) Amez-Droz	Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Luigi Grassi Novazzano

Lugano v Basel

9 September 1967 Round 4	Lugano	4 – 2	Basel	Cornaredo, Lugano
20:45	Brenna 12' (1:0) Brenna 39' (2:0) Chiesa 42' (3:0) Luttrop 81' (4:1)	Summary	64' (o.g. 3:1) Egli 85' (pen. 4:2) Hauser	Attendance: 13,500 Referee: Mario Clematide Zollikofen

Basel v Young Fellows Zürich

16 September 1967 Round 5	Basel	1 – 0	Young Fellows Zürich	Landhof, Basel
16:00	Demarmels 47' (1:0)	Summary		Attendance: 6,800 Referee: Roland Marendaz Lausanne

Zürich v Basel

24 September 1967 Round 6	Zürich	1 – 4	Basel	Letzigrund, Zürich
16:00	Winiger 48' (1:1)	Summary	11' (0:1) Hauser 76' (1:2) Wenger 80' (1:3) Wenger 86' (1:4) Demarmels	Attendance: 9,500 Referee: A. Ceretti Biel/Bienne

Basel v Lausanne-Sport

8 October 1967 Round 7	Basel	2 – 0	Lausanne-Sport	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
15:00	Frigerio 44' (1:0) Odermatt  79' Frigerio 80' (2:0)	Summary		Attendance: 16,000 Referee: Marcel Schneuwly Fribourg

La Chaux-de-Fonds v Basel

15 October 1967 Round 8	La Chaux-de-Fonds	3 – 2	Basel	Stade Charrière, La Chaux-de-Fonds
15:00	Zappella 51' (1:1) Jeandupeux 65' (2:2) Clerc 90' (3:2)	Summary	32' (0:1) Frigerio 54' (1:2) Frigerio	Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Rudolf Scheurer Bettlach

Basel v Biel-Bienne

22 October 1967 Round 9	Basel	4 – 0	Biel-Bienne	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
15:00	Hauser 6' (1:0) Odermatt 24' (2:0) Rüefli 33' (3:0) Demarmels 67' (4:0)	Summary		Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Josef Zibung Luzern

Bellinzona v Basel

26 October 1967 Round 10	Bellinzona	0 – 0	Basel	Stadio Comunale Bellinzona
15:00		Summary		Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Roland Marendaz Lausanne

Basel v Young Boys

5 November 1967 Round 11	Basel	4 – 0	Young Boys	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:45	Frigerio 6' (1:0) Odermatt 12' (2:0) Frigerio 54' (3:0) Benthaus 61' (4:0)	Summary		Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Marcel Schneuwly Fribourg

Grasshopper Club v Basel

26 November 1967 Round 12	Grasshopper Club	1 – 1	Basel	Hardturm, Zürich
14:30	Aerni 85' (1:1)	Summary	50' (0:1) Hauser	Attendance: 19,000 Referee: Mario Clematide Zollikofen

Basel v Servette

3 December 1967 Round 13	Basel	1 – 0	Servette	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Hauser 64' (pen.) Hauser  85'	Summary	64' Barlie  64' Maffiolo  79' Pazmandy	Attendance: 13,500 Referee: Roland Keller Bern

Basel v Luzern

3 March 1968 Round 14	Basel	3 – 0	Luzern	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Wenger 12' (1:0) Benthaus 34' (2:0) Rüefli 64' (3:0)	Summary		Attendance: 12,500 Referee: Mario Clematide Zollikofen

Basel v Sion

10 March 1968 Round 15	Basel	2 – 2	Sion	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Rüefli 22' (1:0) Frigerio 56' (2:1)	Summary	26' (1:1) Savary 88' (2:2) Bruttin	Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Marcel Despland Yverdon

Grenchen v Basel

24 March 1968 Round 16	Grenchen	0 – 1	Basel	Stadion Brühl, Grenchen
15:00		Summary	4' (1:0) Rüefli	Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Roland Marendaz Lausanne

Basel v Lugano

31 March 1968 Round 17	Basel	1 – 1	Lugano	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
15:00	Rüefli 75' (1:0)	Summary	76' (1:1) Chiesa	Attendance: 37,000 (new record for Swiss football) Referee: Gilbert Droz Marin

Young Fellows Zürich v Basel

7 April 1968 Round 18	Young Fellows Zürich	2 – 4	Basel	Letzigrund, Zürich
14:00	Chiandussi 6' (1:0) Matus 86' (2:3)	Summary	58' (1:1) Wenger 67' (1:2) Wenger 75' (1:3) Demarmels 90' (2:4) Odermatt	Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Anton Bucheli Luzern

Basel v Zürich

21 April 1968 Round 19	Basel	1 – 2	Zürich	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
15:00	Rüefli 15' (1:0)	Summary	40' (1:1) Künzli 47' (1:2) Künzli	Attendance: 28,000 Referee: Rudolf Scheurer Bettlach

Lausanne-Sport v Basel

27 April 1968 Round 20	Lausanne-Sport	3 – 1	Basel	Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne
20:30	Hosp 6' (1:0) Vuilleumier 10' (2:0) Vuilleumier 76' (3:0)	Summary	65' Benthaus 78' (pen. 3:1) Frigerio	Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Marcel Schneuwly Fribourg

Basel v La Chaux-de-Fonds

4 May 1968 Round 21	Basel	3 – 1	La Chaux-de-Fonds	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:15	Hauser 13' (1:0) Frigerio 16' (2:0) Benthaus 49' (3:0)	Summary	60' (3:1) Duvoisin  88' Duvoisin	Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Mario Clematide Zollikofen

Biel-Bienne v Basel

11 May 1968 Round 22	Biel-Bienne	4 – 1	Basel	Gurzelen Stadion, Biel/Bienne
15:00	Gnägi 1' (1:0) Renfer 15' (2:0) Gnägi 37' (3:1) Matter 90' (4:1)	Summary	36' (2:1) Paolucci  83' Kiefer	Attendance: 6,500 Referee: Fernand Burioli Lausanne

Basel v Bellinzona

18 May 1968 Round 23	Basel	1 – 0	Bellinzona	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:15	Rüefli 54' (1:0)	Summary		Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Marcel Despland Yverdon

Young Boys v Basel

25 May 1968 Round 24	Young Boys	3 – 2	Basel	Wankdorf Stadium, Bern
20:15	Grosser 40' (1:0) Guggisberg 33' (2:1) Kellas 82' (3:2)	Summary	32' (1:1) Rüefli 40' (pen. 2:2) Hauser Ramseier	Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Werner Mettler St. Gallen

Basel v Grasshopper Club

1 June 1968 Round 25	Basel	0 – 1	Grasshopper Club	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:15	Kiefer  3' Hauser 62′	Summary	82' (0:1) Grahn	Attendance: 17,000 Referee: Marcel Schneuwly Fribourg

Servette v Basel

8 June 1968 Round 26	Servette	0 – 3	Basel	Charmilles Stadium, Geneva
20:15		Summary	24' (0:1) Demarmels 51' (0:2) Wenger 89' (0:3) Demarmels	Attendance: 3,800 Referee: Mario Clematide Zollikofen

Swiss Cup

Basel v FC Le Locle

12 November 1967 Round of 32	Basel	2 – 1 (a.e.t.)	FC Le Locle	St. Jakob-Park, Basel
15:15	Frigerio 83' (1:1) Benthaus 108' (2:1)	Summary	49' (0:1) Bosset	Attendance: 9,300 Referee: W. Hardmeier Thalwil

Zürich v Basel

10 December 1967 Round of 16	Zürich	1 – 0	Basel	Letzigrund, Zürich
14:30	Meyer 52' (1:0)	Summary		Attendance: 15,500 Referee: Gilbert Droz Marin

European Cup

First round

Basel v Hvidovre

20 September 1967 First leg	Basel	1 – 2	Hvidovre	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Hauser 17' (1:0)	Report FCB Summary	58' (1:1) Larsen 80' (1:2) Sørensen	Attendance: 13,344 Referee: Gyula Emsberger (Hungary)

Hvidovre v Basel

18 October 1967 Second leg	Hvidovre	3 – 3	Basel	Idrætsparken, Copenhagen
19:00	Hansen 18' Sørensen 39' Olsen 58'	Report FCB Summary	2' Hauser  63' Benthaus 78' Benthaus 85' Wenger	Attendance: 9,363 Referee: Ken Dagnall (England)

Hvidovre won 5–4 on aggregate.

Cup of the Alps

Matches

Basel v Torino

14 June 1967 Round 1	Basel	0 – 1	Torino	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00		Summary	4' (0:1) Ferrini	Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Pius Kamber Zürich

Basel v AS Roma

20 June 1967 Round 2	Basel	0 – 2	AS Roma	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00		Summary	7' (0:1) Barison 76' (0:2) Barison	Attendance: 8,600 Referee: Mario Clematide Zollikofen

Basel v TSV 1860 Munich

23 June 1967 Round 3	Basel	4 – 4	TSV 1860 Munich	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Hauser 8' (1:0) Rahmen 26' (2:1) Wenger 30' (3:1) Rüefli 33' (4:1)	Summary	19' (1:1) Bründl 43' (4:2) Bründl 43' (4:3) Küppers 54' (4:4) Kohlars	Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Gottfried Dienst, Basel

Basel v AC Milan

27 June 1967 Round 4	Basel	0 – 3	AC Milan	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00		Summary	25' (o.g.) Odermatt 68' (0:2) Fortunato 69' (0:3) Trapattoni	Attendance: 11,400 Referee: Rudolf Scheurer Bettlach

Basel v Eintracht Frankfurt

15 August 1967 Round 5	Basel	1 – 2	Eintracht Frankfurt	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Odermatt 76' (0:1)	Summary	53' (pen. 0:1) Solz 74' (0:2) Bechtold	Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Gilbert Droz Marin