| Season: | 1978 |
| Nextseason: | 1979 |
The 1978 Soviet First League was the eighth season of the Soviet First League and the 38th season of the Soviet second tier league competition.
| Rank | Union republic | Number of teams | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Terek Grozny, Kuban Krasnodar, Shinnik Yaroslavl, Kuzbass Kemerevo, Uralmash Sverdlovsk, Spartak Ordzhonikidze, Dinamo Leningrad, Krylia Sovetov Kuibyshev, SKA Rostov-na-Donu | |
| 2 | 5 | Karpaty Lvov, Tavria Simferopol, SKA Odessa, Metallurg Zaporozhye, Prykarpatye Ivano-Frankovsk | |
| 3 | 1 | Dinamo Minsk | |
| Žalgiris Vilnius | |||
| Torpedo Kutaisi | |||
| Nistru Kishinev | |||
| Pamir Dushanbe | |||
| Kolhozchi Ashkhabad | |||