It determined that year's club champion of association football in the CONCACAF region and was played from 9 March 1996 through 20 July 1997.

The North/Central zone was split into 3 groups, qualifying each winner to the final tournament.

The winner of the Caribbean zone, earned a place in a playoff against the U.S. representative for a spot in the final tournament.

That final stage composed of four teams which played each other in a single round-robin tournament.

Mexican team Cruz Azul won their fourth CONCACAF trophy, after finishing 1st.