Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position.
Due to a modification in the Nationalliga B (second tier), an increase in the number of teams in the following season, there were to be four direct promotions from the 1.
At the other end of the league table the situation was much clearer, the two last placed teams in each group were directly relegated to the 2.
The decider was played on 2 June 1987 in Tuggen FC Chur win 5–4 in the penalty-shoot-out and advance to play-offs.
Yverdon-Sport FC win 9–3 on aggregate and are promoted to 1987–88 Nationalliga B[8].
BSC Old Boys win 6–1 on aggregate and are promoted to the 1987–88 Nationalliga B. SC Kriens are relegated to remain in the division for the 1987–88 Swiss 1.