1997 Belarusian First League
1997 Belarusian First League was the seventh season of 2nd level football championship in Belarus. It started in April and ended in November 1997.
Team changes from 1996 season
Two best teams of 1996 Belarusian First League were promoted to Belarusian Premier League. They were replaced by two lowest-placed teams of 1996 Premier League.No teams relegated to lower level by league position due to required league expansion back to 16 clubs. Three clubs were initially promoted from the Second League.
FC Kobrin withdrew from the league to amateur level during off-season due to financial troubles and were replaced by Beloozyorsk.
Before the start of the season Obuvshchik Lida were renamed to FC Lida, Vedrich Rechitsa updated their name to Vedrich-97 Rechitsa, Kommunalnik Pinsk were renamed to Pinsk-900, Khimik Svetlogorsk to Kommunalnik Svetlogorsk, Stroitel Bereza to FC Bereza and newcomers FC Beloozyorsk to Belenergostroy Beloozyorsk.
Overview
Two best teams of the season were promoted to the Premier League. Two lowest placed teams (Lokomotiv Vitebsk and Stroitel Starye Dorogi were relegated to the Second League.Teams and locations
| Team | Location | Position in 1996 |
| Lida | Lida | Premier League, 15 |
| Vedrich-97 | Rechitsa | Premier League, 16 |
| Kommunalnik | Svetlogorsk | 3 |
| Gomel | Gomel | 4 |
| Pinsk-900 | Pinsk | 5 |
| Dinamo-Juni | Minsk | 6 |
| Torpedo | Zhodino | 7 |
| Orsha | Orsha | 8 |
| Lokomotiv | Vitebsk | 9 |
| Kardan-Flyers | Grodno | 10 |
| Bereza | Bereza | 11 |
| Stroitel | Starye Dorogi | 13 |
| BATE | Borisov | Second League, Group A, 1 |
| Veino | Mogilev Raion | Second League, Group B, 1 |
| Belenergostroy | Beloozyorsk | Second League, Group A, 2 |
| Dnepr | Rogachev | Second League, Group B, 2 |