The Europe/Africa Zone was one of three zones of regional competition in the 1996 Fed Cup.
Group I
Venue: La Manga Club, Murcia, Spain (outdoor clay)
Date: 22–24 April
The sixteen teams were divided into four pools of four teams. The top teams of each pool play-off in a two-round knockout stage to decide which nation progresses to World Group II play-offs. Nations finishing in the bottom place in each pool were relegated to Europe/Africa Zone Group II for 1997.
The nineteen teams were divided into three pools of five and one pool of four. The top two teams from each pool then moved on to the play-off stage of the competition. The four teams that won one match from the play-off stage would advance to Group I for 1997.