Ajax beat PSV 5–0 and won the cup for the thirteenth time.
E Eredivisie; 1 Eerste Divisie; A Amateur teams The matches of the first round were played on November 18 and 19, 1997.
The six highest Eredivisie teams from last season entered the tournament this round.
Since finalists Ajax and PSV already qualified for the Champions League, this match for the third place was played on May 14 to determine the Dutch participant for the last edition of the Cup Winners' Cup.
Ajax also won the Dutch Eredivisie championship, thereby taking the double.