The 2016–17 Moldovan Cup was the 26th season of the Moldovan annual football tournament. Zaria Bălți entered as the defending champions after winning the 2015–16 edition. The competition started on 20 August 2016 with the first preliminary round and concluded with the final at the Zimbru Stadium on 25 May 2017. Sheriff won a record 9th title following a 5–0 win over Zaria in the final. As winners, Sheriff would have been assured a place for the 2017–2018 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round; however, since they already qualified for the 2017–2018 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round by winning the title in the Divizia Națională, the Europa League entry went to Zaria Bălți, the highest team in the Divizia Națională table which had not already qualified for European competitions.

Fotbal Club Bălți, commonly known as Bălți, is a Moldovan professional football club based in Bălți, founded in 1984 as FC Zaria Bălți and refounded in 2020 as FC Bălți. They play in the Super Liga, the top division of Moldovan football. Between 1992 and 2014, the team was known as FC Olimpia Bălți.