| Competition: | 1. Liga |
| Season: | 1987–88 |
| Winners: | Overall champions FC Emmenbrücke Group 1: Urania Genève Sport Group 2: SV Lyss Group 3: FC Emmenbrücke Group 4: FC Glarus |
| Promoted: | FC Emmenbrücke Urania Genève Sport FC Glarus |
| Relegated: | Group 1: FC Leytron FC Vernier Group 2: FC Dürrenast SC Baudepartement Basel Group 3: FC Sursee SC Goldau Group 4: FC Dübendorf FC Küsnacht FC Embrach |
| Matches: | 4 times 182 and 4 deciders plus 14 play-offs and 4 play-outs |
| Prevseason: | 1986–87 |
| Nextseason: | 1988–89 |
The 1987–88 Swiss 1. Liga was the 56th 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 were 56 clubs in the 1. Liga, divided into four regional groups, each with 14 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 then contested a play-off for the three promotion slots. The two last placed teams in each group were directly relegated to the 2. Liga (fourth tier). The four third-last placed teams would compete a play-out against the ninth relegation spot.
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Aigle[1] | Vaud | Les Glariers | ||
| FC Boudry[2] | Neuchâtel | Stade des Buchilles | ||
| FC Châtel-Saint-Denis[3] | Fribourg | Stade du Lussy - Châtel-St-Denis | ||
| Concordia/Folgore Lausanne[4] | Vaud | Centre Sportif de la Tuilière | ||
| FC Colombier | Neuchâtel | Stade des Chézards | ||
| FC Echallens | Vaud | Sportplatz 3 Sapins | ||
| Grand-Lancy FC | Geneva | Stade de Marignac | ||
| FC Leytron[5] | Valais | Stade Saint-Martin | ||
| FC Le Locle[6] | Neuchâtel | Installation sportive - Jeanneret | ||
| FC Monthey | Valais | Stade Philippe Pottier | ||
| FC Raron[7] | Valais | Sportplatz Rhoneglut | ||
| FC Stade Lausanne | Vaud | Centre sportif de Vidy | ||
| Urania Genève Sport | Geneva | Stade de Frontenex | ||
| FC Vernier[8] | Geneva | Stade municipal de Vernier | ||
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Bern | Bern | Stadion Neufeld | |
| SC Baudepartement Basel | Basel-Stadt | Rankhof | |
| FC Breitenbach[9] | Solothurn | Grien | |
| SC Burgdorf[10] | canton of Bern | Stadion Neumatt | |
| FC Central Fribourg[11] | Fribourg | Guintzet | |
| SR Delémont | Jura | La Blancherie | |
| FC Dürrenast[12] | Bern | Stadion Lachen | |
| FC Fribourg | Fribourg | Stade Universitaire | |
| FC Köniz[13] | Bern | Sportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut | |
| FC Laufen | Basel-Country | Sportplatz Nau | |
| SV Lyss[14] | Bern | Sportzentrum Grien | |
| FC Moutier[15] | Bern | Stade de Chalière | |
| FC Rapid Ostermundigen[16] [17] | Bern | Oberfeld | |
| FC Thun | Bern | Stadion Lachen | |
The play-out match for twelfth position was played on 24 May 1988 in Stadion Neumatt in Burgdorf. FC Köniz win and continued in the play-outs. FC Dürrenast are directly relegated to 2. Liga Interregional.
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Altdorf[18] | Uri | Gemeindesportplatz | |
| FC Ascona[19] | Ticino | Stadio Comunale Ascona | |
| SC Buochs | Nidwalden | Stadion Seefeld | |
| FC Einsiedeln[20] | Schwyz | Rappenmöösli | |
| FC Emmenbrücke | Lucerne | Stadion Gersag | |
| SC Goldau[21] | Schwyz | Sportplatz Tierpark | |
| FC Klus-Balsthal |