1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup


The 1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup was the 33rd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CONCACAF region, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. It determined that year's club champion of association football in the CONCACAF region.
The teams were split into 3 zones. The North American zone qualified 3 teams direct into the quarterfinals and 2 teams played a play-off to get a 4th spot in the quarterfinals. The Central American zone played a regional tournament to get 3 spots in the quarterfinal. The winner of the Caribbean zone got a place in the quarterfinals.
1997 was the first year that teams from the United States' premier league, Major League Soccer, took part in the Champions' Cup. The competitors in the MLS Cup, both winner and runner-up, were each given berths in the tournament.
All but two of the eight games played in the final tournament were played in Washington, D.C.. The final was won by Cruz Azul, who captured their fifth Champions' Cup title with a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Preliminary Regional playoffs

North American Zone

Central American Zone

Preliminary round

First round

Second round

Caribbean Zone

Group 1

Group 2

Qualifying playoff

Quarterfinal Qualified teams

North American zone

D.C. United - 1996 MLS Cup winner
Los Angeles Galaxy - 1996 MLS Cup Runner Up
Guadalajara - 1997 Verano winner
Cruz Azul - 1996 CONCACAF Champions League Title Holders

Central American zone

C.S. Cartaginés - Second Round Series winner
C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo - Second Round Series winner
CSD Comunicaciones - Second Round Series winner

Caribbean zone

United Petrotrin - 1997 CFU Club Championship winner

Bracket

Quarterfinals

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Semifinals

Third place match

Champion

CONCACAF Champions' Cup
1997 Winners
Deportivo Cruz Azul
Fifth Title