FC Sion President Christian Constantin Targets Top-Table Finish

Stability is the new strategy at FC Sion. After years of managerial volatility, president Christian Constantin is betting on continuity to propel the club back into the upper echelon of Swiss football. The project is anchored by manager Didier Tholot, whose contract was extended in April 2026 through 2029, and a defensive unit that has become the envy of the league.

The 2025-26 Ascent and the “Best Team” Claim

Sion’s recent trajectory suggests a club finding its footing. After returning to the Super League in 2024 and narrowly avoiding relegation with a ninth-place finish in 2025, the club surged to fourth place in the 2025-26 season. This result allows them to compete in the qualification rounds for the Conference League, a performance level the club hasn’t seen since the 2016-17 exercise.

Constantin believes the peak was actually higher than the standings suggest. He told Keystone-ATS that the early season was complicated by midfielder Baltazar’s desire to move to Japan, suggesting that if Tholot had his full squad from the start, the season would have been of an even higher caliber.

“En revanche, à partir de février je pense qu’on a la meilleure équipe du pays. L’objectif cette saison, c’est comme toujours d’essayer de faire mieux que la saison passée.”

Christian Constantin, President of FC Sion

The data supports the president’s optimism. Sion ended the 2025-26 campaign with a 10-match unbeaten streak and boasted the league’s best defense, conceding only 40 goals across 38 matches.

Didier Tholot: From Career Progression to “Last House”

The relationship between Constantin and Tholot represents a rare era of patience for the president. Before Tholot’s return in the summer of 2023, Constantin had used an average of 3.5 managers per season since the club’s promotion in 2006. Now 62, Tholot has found a longevity in Sion that eluded him during three previous stints at the club.

Constantin views this as a final chapter for the coach. He noted that while Tholot once harbored ambitions to lead his beloved Girondins de Bordeaux in Ligue 1, the coach now recognizes that Sion is his dernière maison dans le football, as reported by Keystone-ATS.

Tholot’s stock has risen significantly on the international stage. He was previously named the best French-speaking coach of a European competition after leading Sion to a second-place finish in a Europa League group that included Liverpool, Bordeaux, and Rubin Kazan.

Squad Stabilization and the Racioppi Standoff

For the upcoming season, Constantin and sporting director Barthélémy Constantin are eschewing the past. Their goal is to retain the core of the current squad, adding only three to four new players—two of whom must be Swiss, according to Blick.

The most critical piece of the puzzle is goalkeeper Anthony Racioppi. Despite interest from clubs like FC Basel, Constantin has shut down transfer rumors.

“Alors je dis merci pour l’offre, mais je m’en fiche complètement. Anthony s’est épanoui en Valais. Il correspond à notre région, et nous prenons énormément de plaisir avec lui parce qu’il devient de plus en plus fort. Non, il n’est pas à vendre!”

Christian Constantin, President of FC Sion

While Racioppi is untouchable, others are on the move. Timothy Fayulu, returning from a loan at FC Noah in Armenia, is expected to be sold.

The Blueprint for 2030 and Beyond

Sion is not just planning for the next match, but for the next decade. The club’s long-term infrastructure goal remains the construction of a new stadium, which is still slated for 2030, according to blue Sport.

The immediate focus, however, is the path to the Conference League. If they qualify, the team faces six matches starting July 23.

To maintain this momentum, the club has secured the long-term commitment of several key players. Winsley Boteli, Théo Berdayes, and Jan Kronig have all signed contracts extending to 2030, ensuring that the core of the 2025-26 success remains intact as they chase a higher spot in the table.