América de Cali were the champions, winning their ninth domestic league title after beating the Torneo Adecuación winners Atlético Bucaramanga in the championship playoff.
The season, which was originally to last from September 1996 to June 1997, was initially split into three stages: the Apertura and Finalización tournaments, and the final group: However, in January 1997 the Assembly of DIMAYOR approved the return of the league to the calendar year format, while also deciding that the season's champion would be defined in December rather than June as originally expected.
In the event that both teams tied on points at the end of the second leg of the finals, a tiebreaker match on neutral ground would be played.
The Torneo Finalización (also known as Copa Mustang II) began on 26 February 1997 and ended on 20 April 1997.
[4] Atlético Bucaramanga won 4–1 on points, advanced to the championship playoff and qualified for the 1998 Copa Libertadores.