1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
The 1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup was the 33rd edition of the annual international club football competition, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. It determined that year's club champion of the CONCACAF region (North America, Central America and the Caribbean).
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | United States |
| City | Washington, D.C. |
| Dates | August 13–24 |
| Teams | 8 (from 6 associations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Cruz Azul (5th title) |
| Runners-up | Los Angeles Galaxy |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 8 |
| Goals scored | 27 (3.38 per match) |
The teams were split into three zones (North, Central and Caribbean). The North American zone qualified three teams direct into the quarterfinals and two teams played a play-off for the fourth spot in the quarterfinals. The Central American zone played a regional tournament to get three 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. The Galaxy were the first American club to reach the final of a Champions' Cup since 1984.