The 1988–89 Bundesliga was the 26th season of the Bundesliga, the premier football league in West Germany. It began on 22 July 1988 and ended on 17 June 1989. SV Werder Bremen were the defending champions.

Competition modus

Every team played two games against each other team, one at home and one away. Teams received two points for a win and one point for a draw. If two or more teams were tied on points, places were determined by goal difference and, if still tied, by goals scored. The team with the most points were crowned champions while the two teams with the fewest points were relegated to 2. Bundesliga. The third-to-last team had to compete in a two-legged relegation/promotion play-off against the third-placed team from 2. Bundesliga.

Team changes to 1987–88

FC Homburg and FC Schalke 04 were directly relegated to the 2. Bundesliga after finishing in the last two places. They were replaced by FC St. Pauli and Stuttgarter Kickers. Relegation/promotion play-off participant SV Waldhof Mannheim won the penalty shootout of a decisive third match, which had become necessary after the regular two-legged series ended in an aggregated tie, against SV Darmstadt 98 and thus retained their Bundesliga status.

Team overview

League table

Results

Relegation play-offs

Eintracht Frankfurt and third-placed 2. Bundesliga team 1. FC Saarbrücken had to compete in a two-legged relegation/promotion play-off. Frankfurt won 3–2 on aggregate and retained their Bundesliga status.

Top goalscorers

Champion squad