| Competition: | 1. Liga |
| Season: | 1997–98 |
| Winners: | Overall Chiasso Group 1: Stade Nyonnais Group 2: Serrières Group 3: Chiasso Group 4: Red Star |
| Promoted: | Stade Nyonnais Chiasso |
| Relegated: | Group 1: Gland Le Mont Group 2: FC Marly Alle Group 3: Wohlen Hochdorf Dornach Group 4: Bülach FC Schwamendingen |
| Matches: | 4 times 182 plus 12 play-offs and 4 play-outs |
| Prevseason: | 1996–97 |
| Nextseason: | 1998–99 |
The 1997–98 Swiss 1. Liga was the 66th 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 of 14 teams. Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position. The four group winners and the four runners-up then contested a play-off for the two promotion slots. The two last placed teams in each group were directly relegated to the 2. Liga Interregional (fourth tier). The four third last placed teams would compete a play-out against the ninth relegation place.
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Bex | Vaud | Relais | |
| CS Chênois | Geneva | Stade des Trois-Chêne | |
| FC Echallens | Vaud | Sportplatz 3 Sapins | |
| FC Gland | Vaud | Centre sportif En Bord | |
| Grand-Lancy FC | Geneva | Stade de Marignac | |
| FC Stade Lausanne | Vaud | Centre sportif de Vidy | |
| FC Le Mont | Vaud | Centre Sportif du Châtaignier | |
| FC Martigny-Sports | Valais | Stade d'Octodure | |
| FC Meyrin | Geneva | Stade des Arbères | |
| FC Monthey | Valais | Stade Philippe Pottier | |
| FC Naters | Valais | Sportanlage Stapfen | |
| FC Stade Nyonnais | Vaud | Stade de Colovray | |
| FC Renens[1] | Waadt | Zone sportive du Censuy | |
| Vevey Sports | Vaud | Stade de Copet | |
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Alle | Jura | Centre Sportif Régional | |
| FC Biel-Bienne | Bern | Stadion Gurzelen | |
| FC Bulle | Fribourg | Stade de Bouleyres | |
| SC Bümpliz 78 | Bern | Bodenweid | |
| FC Colombier | Neuchâtel | Stade des Chézards | |
| FC Fribourg | Fribourg | Stade Universitaire | |
| FC Grenchen | Solothurn | Stadium Brühl | |
| FC Köniz[2] | Bern | Sportplatz Liebefeld-Hessgut | |
| FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | Neuchâtel | ||
| SV Lyss[3] | Bern | Sportzentrum Grien | |
| FC Marly[4] | Fribourg | Stade de la Gérine | |
| FC Münsingen | Bern | Sportanlage Sandreutenen | |
| FC Serrières | Neuchâtel | Pierre-à-Bot | |
| FC Wangen bei Olten | Solothurn | Sportplatz Chrüzmatt | |
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Ascona[5] | Ticino | Stadio Comunale Ascona | |
| AC Bellinzona | Ticino | Stadio Comunale Bellinzona | |
| GC Biaschesi | Ticino | Campo Sportivo "Al Vallone" | |
| SC Buochs | Nidwalden | Stadion Seefeld | |
| FC Chiasso | Ticino | Stadio Comunale Riva IV | |
| FC Concordia Basel | Basel-City | Stadion Rankhof | |
| SC Dornach | Solothurn | Gigersloch | |
| FC Hochdorf | Lucerne | Arena | |
| FC Muri[6] | Aargau | Stadion Brühl | |
| SV Muttenz | Basel-Country | Sportplatz Margelacker | |
| FC Riehen[7] | Basel-City | Sportplatz Grendelmatte | |
| FC Schötz | Lucerne | Sportplatz Wissenhusen | |
| FC Sursee[8] | Lucerne | Stadion Schlottermilch | |
| FC Wohlen | Aargau | [9] | |
| Club | Canton | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Altstetten[10] | Zürich | Buchlern | |
| FC Bülach | Zürich | Stadion Erachfeld | |
| FC Frauenfeld | Thurgau | Kleine Allmend | |
| FC Freienbach | Schwyz | Chrummen | |
| FC Gossau | St. Gallen | Sportanlage Buechenwald | |
| FC Kreuzlingen | Thurgau | Sportplatz Hafenareal | |
| FC Rapperswil-Jona | St. Gallen | Stadion Grünfeld | |
| FC Red Star Zürich | Zürich | Allmend Brunau | |
| FC Rorschach[11] | Schwyz | Sportplatz Kellen | |
| FC Schwamendingen[12] | Zürich | Sportanlage Heerenschürli | |
| FC Tuggen | Schwyz | Linthstrasse | |
| FC Vaduz | Liechtenstein | Rheinpark Stadion | |
| SC YF Juventus | Zürich | Utogrund | |
| Zug 94 | Zug | Herti Allmend Stadion | |
Because the teams from FC Gossau and Zug 94 ended the season level on points they had to play a league positions decider. The match was played on a neutral ground and it took place on 19 May 1998 in Allmend Brunau (Zürich).
Zug 94 win the decider and advance to play-offs.
Muttenz win 6–2 on aggregate and continue to the finals. Stade Nyonnais win 2–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals. Chiasso win 2–1 on aggregate and continue to the finals. Aggregate 4–4. Serrières win in overtime and continue to the finals.
Stade Nyonnais win 4–2 on aggregate and are promoted to Nationalliga B. Chiasso win 4–0 on aggregate and are promoted to Nationalliga B.
SV Lyss continue to the final. Dornach continue to the final.
SV Lyss win 7–1 on aggregate. Dornach are relegated to 2. Liga.