The 1988 CECAFA Cup was the 15th edition of the tournament. It was held in Malawi, and was won by the hosts. The matches were played between November 6–19.
Group A
Played in Lilongwe
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Malawi
|
5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
 Kenya
|
3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | –1 |
 Tanzania
|
2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | –1 |
 Zanzibar
|
2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | –2 |
Group B
Played in Blantyre
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Zambia
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 |
 Zimbabwe
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
 Ethiopia
|
3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
 Uganda
|
1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | –4 |
Semi-finals
Abandoned in 107' (a.e.t.) at 0–0 due to power failure.