| Competition: | Slovenian PrvaLiga |
| Season: | 1996–97 |
| Winners: | Maribor (1st title) |
| Relegated: | Koper |
| Continentalcup1: | Champions League |
| Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | Maribor |
| Continentalcup2: | UEFA Cup |
| Continentalcup2 Qualifiers: | Gorica |
| Continentalcup3: | Cup Winners' Cup |
| Continentalcup3 Qualifiers: | Primorje |
| Continentalcup4: | Intertoto Cup |
| Continentalcup4 Qualifiers: | Celje |
| League Topscorer: | Faik Kamberović (21 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | Primorje 7–0 Beltinci |
| Biggest Away Win: | Rudar 1–6 Maribor |
| Matches: | 180 |
| Total Goals: | 472 |
| Longest Wins: | 7 games Primorje |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 13 games Primorje |
| Longest Winless: | 13 games Beltinci |
| Longest Losses: | 4 games Beltinci Koper Olimpija |
| Highest Attendance: | 14,000 Maribor 5–1 Beltinci |
| Lowest Attendance: | 150 Olimpija 2–0 Koper |
| Attendance: | 304,900 |
| Average Attendance: | 1,693 |
| Prevseason: | 1995–96 |
| Nextseason: | 1997–98 |
The 1996–97 Slovenian PrvaLiga season started on 4 August 1996 and ended on 1 June 1997. Each team played a total of 36 matches.
Beltinci won 1–0 on aggregate.
Every team plays four times against their opponents, twice at home and twice on the road, for a total of 36 matches.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Faik Kamberović | Celje | 21 |
| 2 |  Ivica Vulič | Primorje | 17 |
| 3 | Štefan Škaper | Mura | 14 |
| Aljoša Sivko | Celje | ||
| Oskar Drobne | Maribor | ||
| Dinko Vrabac | Primorje | ||
| 7 | Samo Vidovič | Rudar Velenje | 11 |
| 8 | Emir Dzafič | Beltinci | 10 |
| Anton Žlogar | Primorje | ||
| Milan Osterc | Gorica |