The 1997 Tippeligaen was the 53rd completed season of top division football in Norway. Each team played 26 games with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Number thirteen and fourteen are relegated, number twelve has to play two qualification matches (home and away) against number three in the first division (where number one and two are directly promoted) for the last spot.
<onlyinclude> VÃÂ¥lerenga Fotball qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as Norwegian Cup winners from a lower division. </onlyinclude>
Tromsø won the play-offs against Eik-Tønsberg, 6âÂÂ1 on aggregate.