| Season: | 1996–97 |
| League Topscorer: | (22) Oleksiy Antyukhin (Dynamo-2 Kyiv) |
| Nextseason: | 1997–98 |
1996–97 Ukrainian First League was the sixth season of the Ukrainian First League which was won by Metalurh Donetsk. The season started on August 4, 1996, and finished on June 20, 1997.
Three clubs promoted from the 1995–96 Ukrainian Second League.
Three clubs were relegated from the 1995-96 Ukrainian Top League:
In 1996-97 season, the Ukrainian First League consists of the following teams:
| Club | City | Stadium | Coach | Replaced coach(es) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viktor Udovenko | |||||
| Avanhard Stadium | Viacheslav Kobeletsky | ||||
| Olimp Stadium | Anatoliy Buznyk | ||||
| Podillya Stadium Yunist Stadium | Volodymyr Bulhakov | ||||
| Kharchovyk Stadium | V.Ivehesh | Ivan Hamaliy | |||
| Dynamo Stadium | |||||
| Kolos Stadium Yavir Stadium | |||||
| Stal Stadium | |||||
| Central Stadium Spartak Stadium | Ihor Chupryna | ||||
| Avanhard Stadium | Viktor Pyshchev | ||||
| Bukovyna Stadium | V.Bohuslavsky | Yukhym Shkolnykov | |||
| City Stadium | V.Veber | ||||
| Naftovyk Stadium | Vasyl Yermak | Oleksandr Dovbiy | |||
| Elektrometalurh Stadium | Hryhoriy Verzhelenko | ||||
| Avanhard Stadium | A.Radchenko | ||||
| Avanhard Stadium | Oleksandr Holokolosov Sr. | Matviy Bobal | |||
| Avanhard Stadium | A.Shakun | Anatoliy Kuksov | |||
| CSKA Stadium | A.Shtelin | A.Petrakov | |||
| Khimik Stadium | Yuriy Vankevych | ||||
| SKA Stadium | |||||
| Central Stadium | Yevhen Kucherevsky | ||||
| Shakhtar Stadium | |||||
| Azovstal Stadium | Yuriy Pohrebnyak |
Statistics are taken from here.[1]
| Scorer | Goals (Pen.) | Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Oleksiy Antiukhin | 22 (7) | Dynamo-2 Kyiv |
| 2 | Yuriy Hetman | 21 (1) | Metalurh Mariupol |
| 3 | Oleksandr Sevidov | 20 | Metalurh Donetsk |
| 4 | Viktor Diak | 18 (10) | Shakhtar Makiivka |
| 5 | Kostyantyn Pinchuk | 16 (12) | Metalurh Mariupol |
| 6 | Yevhen Sonin | 15 (3) | SC Mykolaiv |
| 7 | Oleksandr Ostashov | 14 | Metalurh D. / Stal |
| Oleh Babenko | 14 (1) | Khimik Severodonetsk | |
| 9 | Oleksandr Karabuta | 13 | Metalist Kharkiv |
| Borys Shurshyn | 13 (2) | Yavir Krasnopillya |