| Competition: | 1. Liga |
| Season: | 1976–77 |
| Winners: | 1. Liga champions: FC Wettingen Group 1: FC Bulle Group 2: FC Bern Group 3: FC Wettingen Group 4: SC Zug |
| Promoted: | FC Wettingen FC Bulle |
| Relegated: | Group 1: FC Sierre Group 2: FC Superga Group 3: SC Kleinhüningen Group 4: FC Rüti |
| Matches: | 4 times 132 and 2 deciders plus 13 play-offs |
| Prevseason: | 1975–76 |
| Nextseason: | 1977–78 |
The 1976–77 1. Liga was the 45th season of this league since its creation in 1931. At this time, the 1. Liga was the third tier of the Swiss football league system and it was the highest level of amateur football.
There was a modification to the 1. Liga taking place at this time. The 1. Liga had been increased from 39 clubs, in three groups last season, to 48 clubs for the beginning of this season. These 48 teams were divided into four regional groups, each group with 12 teams. Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position. Two points were awarded for a win. The four group winners and the four runners-up contested a play-off round to decide the two promotion slots. At the end of the season the number of clubs was to be increased to 56 in four groups of 14 teams and, therefore, in this season only the last placed team from each group was to be relegated to the 2. Liga (fourth tier). From the following season onwards two teams from each group were to be relegated.
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Boudry[1] | Neuchâtel | Stade des Buchilles | ||
| FC Bulle | Fribourg | Stade de Bouleyres | ||
| FC Central Fribourg[2] | Fribourg | Guintzet | ||
| FC Fétigny[3] | Fribourg | Stade Communal Fétigny | ||
| FC Martigny-Sports | Valais | Stade d'Octodure | ||
| FC Meyrin | Geneva | Stade des Arbères | ||
| FC Monthey | Valais | Stade Philippe Pottier | ||
| FC Orbe[4] | Vaud | Stade du Puisoir | ||
| FC Renens[5] | Waadt | Zone sportive du Censuy | ||
| FC Sierre[6] | Valais | Complexe Ecossia | ||
| FC Stade Lausanne | Vaud | Centre sportif de Vidy | ||
| FC Stade Nyonnais | Vaud | Stade de Colovray | ||
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASI Audax-Friul[7] | Neuchâtel | Pierre-à-Bot | |
| FC Aurore Bienne[8] | Bern | Tilleul-Linde | |
| FC Bern | Bern | Stadion Neufeld | |
| US Boncourt[9] | Jura | Stade Communal Léon Burrus | |
| SR Delémont | Jura | La Blancherie | |
| SC Derendingen[10] | Solothurn | Heidenegg | |
| FC Dürrenast[11] | Bern | Stadion Lachen | |
| FC Köniz[12] | Bern | Sportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut | |
| FC Le Locle[13] | Neuchâtel | Installation sportive - Jeanneret | |
| FC Lerchenfeld[14] | Bern | Sportanlagen Waldeck | |
| FC Solothurn | Solothurn | Stadion FC Solothurn | |
| FC Superga[15] | Neuchâtel | Collège de la Charrière | |
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Baden | Aargau | Esp Stadium | |
| FC Birsfelden[16] | Basel-Country | Sternenfeld | |
| FC Blue Stars Zürich[17] | Zürich | Hardhof | |
| SC Brühl | St. Gallen | Paul-Grüninger-Stadion | |
| FC Concordia Basel | Basel-City | Stadion Rankhof | |
| FC Frauenfeld | Thurgau | Kleine Allmend | |
| SC Kleinhüningen[18] [19] | Basel-City | Sportplatz Schorenmatte | |
| FC Laufen | Basel-Country | Sportplatz Nau | |
| SV Muttenz | Basel-Country | Sportplatz Margelacker | |
| FC Red Star Zürich | Zürich | Allmend Brunau | |
| FC Schaffhausen | Schaffhausen | Stadion Breite | |
| FC Wettingen | Aargau | Stadion Altenburg | |
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Balzers |  Liechtenstein | Sportplatz Rheinau | |
| FC Brunnen[20] | Schwyz | Wintersried | |
| SC Buochs | Nidwalden | Stadion Seefeld | |
| FC Chur | Grisons | Ringstrasse | |
| FC Glattbrugg[21] | Zürich | Sportanlage Au | |
| FC Ibach | Schwyz | Gerbihof | |
| FC Locarno | Locarno, Ticino | ||
| FC Morbio[22] | Ticino | Campo comunale Balerna | |
| FC Rüti[23] | Zürich | Schützenwiese | |
| FC Unterstrass[24] | Zürich | Steinkluppe | |
| FC Zug | Zug | Herti Allmend Stadion | |
| SC Zug | Zug | Herti Allmend Stadion | |
The decider match for second place was played on 24 May in Küsnacht. FC Zug win and advance to play-offs. FC Chur remain in the division.
The decider was played on 30 May in Brunnen. The game was drawn, however, at this period in time, the extra-time as match extention had not yet been introduced. FC Morbio were declaired winners due to goal-average of the regular season and, therefore, they remained in the division and FC Rüti were relegated to 2. Liga Interregional.
The games were played on 29 May and 5 June.
FC Laufen win 2–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals. FC Bern win 3–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals. FC Bulle win 5–2 on aggregate and continue to the finals. FC Wettingen win 3–0 on aggregate and continue to the finals.
The games were played on 12 and 19 June. FC Bulle win 5–2 on aggregate and are promoted to 1977–78 Nationalliga B. FC Wettingen win 5–1 on aggregate and are promoted to 1977–78 Nationalliga B.
The final for the league championship was played on 22 June in Wettingen. FC Wettingen win and are 1. Liga champions.