Steffisburg

The Swiss Handball Federation's own inspectors settled the question in 2021: the Musterplatzhalle, TV Steffisburg's ground on Zulgstrasse, does not leave enough fall space behind the goal lines for Nationalliga A play. The federation had been granting exceptions for Nationalliga B fixtures for years; those were withdrawn.

Handball at Steffisburg dates to 1935. TV Steffisburg has spent most of its competitive life shuttling between the second and third tiers, with spells in Nationalliga B from 1997 to 2005 and 2007 to 2012 before returning in 2014 and staying up since.

What the club has produced, more consistently than results, is players who left for bigger stages. Viktor Glatthard spent five seasons at Steffisburg from 2011 before winning the Swiss championship with Wacker Thun and moving on to Norway and Germany.

That club, Wacker Thun, is the one Steffisburg measures itself against. The two sit close enough that their meetings are simply called the Derby.