1996–97 Segunda División
The 1996–97 Segunda División season saw 20 teams participate in the second flight Spanish league. CP Mérida, UD Salamanca and RCD Mallorca were promoted to Primera División. Almería CF, Real Madrid B, Barcelona B and Écija were relegated to Segunda División B.
Teams
| Team | Home city | Stadium |
| Alavés | Vitoria-Gasteiz | Mendizorrotza |
| Albacete | Albacete | Carlos Belmonte |
| Almería | Almería | Antonio Franco Navarro |
| Atlético Madrid B | Madrid | Cerro del Espino |
| Badajoz | Badajoz | El Vivero |
| Barcelona B | Barcelona | Mini Estadi |
| Écija | Écija | San Pablo |
| Eibar | Eibar | Ipurua |
| Las Palmas | Las Palmas | Insular |
| Leganés | Leganés | Luis Rodríguez de Miguel |
| Levante | Valencia | Nou Estadi |
| Lleida | Lleida | Camp d'Esports |
| Mallorca | Mallorca | Lluís Sitjar |
| Mérida | Mérida | Romano |
| Osasuna | Pamplona | El Sadar |
| Ourense | Ourense | O Couto |
| Real Madrid B | Madrid | Ciudad Deportiva |
| Salamanca | Salamanca | Helmántico |
| Toledo | Toledo | Salto del Caballo |
| Villarreal | Villarreal | El Madrigal |
Teams by Autonomous Community
| Autonomous community | Number of teams | Teams | |
| 1 | 3 | Atlético Madrid B, Leganés, Real Madrid B | |
| 2 | 2 | Almería, Écija | |
| 2 |  Basque Country | 2 | Alavés, Eibar |
| 2 | 2 | Albacete, Toledo | |
| 2 | 2 | Barcelona B, Lleida | |
| 2 | 2 | Badajoz, Mérida | |
| 2 | 2 | Levante, Villarreal | |
| 7 | 1 | Mallorca | |
| 7 | 1 | Las Palmas | |
| 7 | 1 | Salamanca | |
| 7 | 1 | Ourense | |
| 7 | 1 | Osasuna |