# 2015–16 Taça de Portugal

The 2015–16 Taça de Portugal was the 76th season of the Taça de Portugal, the premier knockout competition in Portuguese football. As of this season, it became also known as Taça de Portugal Placard due to sponsorship by sports betting game Placard.
The competition was contested by a total of 155 clubs – an increase of 20 clubs compared to the previous edition – including teams from the top-three tiers of the Portuguese football league system and representatives of the fourth-tier District leagues and cups. It began with the first-round matches on 5 September 2015 and concluded on 22 May 2016, with the final at the Estádio Nacional in Oeiras.
Making their second final appearance in two seasons, Braga defeated Porto 4–2 in a penalty shoot-out (following a 2–2 draw at the end of extra time to win the competition for the second time, 50 years after their first triumph in the 1965–66 edition. The title holders were Sporting CP, who were eliminated in the fifth round by Braga in a replay of the previous final.

## Format

As in the previous season, the competition format was organised in a knockout system consisting of seven rounds before the final match. For this season, the number of participating clubs increased from 135 to 155, to accommodate twice the number of teams from the District levels. The concept of repechage was introduced, meaning that teams eliminated in one round could still compete in later rounds, to provide an even number of teams necessary to avoid byes.
A total of 118 teams entered the tournament in the first round, 78 competing in the third-tier Campeonato de Portugal and 40 representatives from the District Football Associations. In the second round, the previous round winners were joined by the 19 teams competing in the second-tier LigaPro. In the third round, the 18 top-tier Primeira Liga teams entered the competition for the first time, playing against the 46 winners of the second round. In both second and third rounds, teams from higher tiers played away against teams from lower tiers; after the third round, the draw had no restrictions.
Unlike the earlier one-legged rounds, the semi-finals are played as two-legged ties, with home and away matches. The final is played as a one-off match at a neutral venue, traditionally the Estádio Nacional in Oeiras.
| Round | Teams remaining | Teams involved | Teams from the previous round | New teams in this round | Leagues entering in this round (tier level) |
| First round | 155 | 118 | none | 118 | Campeonato de Portugal (3rd) District Football Associations (4th) |
| Second round | 110 | 92 | 59+14 | 19 | LigaPro (2nd) |
| Third round | 64 | 64 | 46 | 18 | Primeira Liga (1st) |
| Fourth round | 32 | 32 | 32 | none | none |
| Fifth round | 16 | 16 | 16 | none | none |
| Quarter-finals | 8 | 8 | 8 | none | none |
| Semi-finals | 4 | 4 | 4 | none | none |
| Final | 2 | 2 | 2 | none | none |

## Teams

A total of 155 teams competing in the top-four tiers of Portuguese football plus the winners (or losing finalists) of the District Football Association Cups were considered eligible by the Portuguese Football Federation to participate in the competition:
2015–16 Taça de Portugal teams :
Primeira Liga (18 teams) :
Académica
Arouca
Belenenses
Benfica
Boavista
Braga
Estoril
Marítimo
Moreirense
Nacional
Paços de Ferreira
Porto
Rio Ave
Sporting CP
Tondela
União da Madeira
Vitória de Guimarães
Vitória de Setúbal :
LigaPro (19 teams) :
Académico de Viseu
Atlético CP
Chaves
Desportivo das Aves
Famalicão
Farense
Feirense
Freamunde
Gil Vicente
Leixões
Mafra
Olhanense
Oliveirense
Oriental
Penafiel
Portimonense
Santa Clara
Sporting da Covilhã
Varzim :
Campeonato de Portugal (78 teams) :
Series A (9 teams)
Argozelo
Bragança
Camacha
Limianos
Mirandela
Neves
Pedras Salgadas
Vianense
Vilaverdense
Series B (9 teams)
AD Oliveirense
Arões
Fafe
Felgueiras 1932
Mondinense
São Martinho
Torcatense
Trofense
Vizela
Series C (10 teams)
Amarante
Cinfães
Coimbrões
Gondomar
Pedras Rubras
Salgueiros
Sobrado
Sousense
Tirsense
Vila Real
Series D (10 teams)
Anadia
Bustelo
Cesarense
Estarreja
Gafanha
Lusitânia de Lourosa
Lusitano de Vildemoinhos
Mortágua
Oliveira de Frades
Sanjoanense
Series E (10 teams)
Académica – SF
AD Nogueirense
Angrense
Oliveira do Hospital
Operário
Pampilhosa
Praiense
Sabugal
Sporting Ideal
Tourizense
Series F (10 teams)
Águias do Moradal
Alcanenense
Benfica e Castelo Branco
Caldas
Crato
Naval 1º de Maio
Peniche
Sertanense
União de Leiria
Vitória de Sernache
Series G (10 teams)
1º de Dezembro
Atlético da Malveira
Casa Pia
Coruchense
Eléctrico
Loures
Real
Sacavenense
Sintrense
Torreense
Series H (10 teams)
Almancilense
Atlético de Reguengos
Barreirense
Castrense
Cova da Piedade
Juventude de Évora
Louletano
Lusitano VRSA
Moura
Pinhalnovense :
District Football Associations (40 teams) :
Algarve FA: Lagoa (C) & Moncarapachense (L)
Angra do Heroísmo FA: None
Aveiro FA: São Roque (F) & Recreio de Águeda (L)
Beja FA: Praia de Milfontes (C) & Vasco da Gama da Vidigueira (L)
Braga FA: Amares (C) & Maria da Fonte (L)
Bragança FA: Águia de Vimioso (C) & Torre de Moncorvo (L)
Castelo Branco FA: Alcains (C) & Estação (L)
Coimbra FA: Vigor da Mocidade (C) & União de Gavinhos (L)
Évora FA: Redondense (F) & Sporting de Viana do Alentejo (L)
Guarda FA: Trancoso (F) & Manteigas (L)
Horta FA: Fayal (C)
Leiria FA: Ginásio de Alcobaça (F) & Leiria e Marrazes (L)
Lisboa FA: Povoense (C) & Vilafranquense (L)
Madeira FA: Pontassolense (C)
Ponta Delgada FA: Mira Mar (C)
Portalegre FA: Mosteirense (F) & Gavionenses (L)
Porto FA: Oliveira do Douro (C) & Rio Tinto (L)
Santarém FA: Amiense (F) & União de Tomar (L)
Setúbal FA: Alcochetense (C) & Amora (L)
Viana do Castelo FA: Vitorino dos Piães (F) & Atlético dos Arcos (L)
Vila Real FA: Montalegre (C) & Régua (L)
Viseu FA: Carregal do Sal (C) & Penalva do Castelo (L)
Azores League: Rabo de Peixe (L)
C – Cup winner; F – Cup finalist; L – League spot. :

## Schedule

All draws are held at the FPF headquarters in Lisbon. Match kick-off times are in WET (UTC+0) from the fourth round to the semi-finals, and in WEST (UTC+1) during the rest of the competition.
| Round | Draw date | Main date(s) | Fixtures | Teams | Prize money |
| First round | 31 July 2015 | 5–6 September 2015 | 59 | 155 → 110 | €2,000 |
| Second round | 14 September 2015 | 26–27 September 2015 | 46 | 110 → 64 | €3,000 |
| Third round | 1 October 2015 | 17–18 October 2015 | 32 | 64 → 32 | €4,000 |
| Fourth round | 23 October 2015 | 21–22 November 2015 | 16 | 32 → 16 | €5,000 |
| Fifth round | 26 November 2015 | 15–17 December 2015 | 8 | 16 → 8 | €7,500 |
| Quarter-finals | 21 December 2015 | 12–14 January 2016 | 4 | 8 → 4 | €10,000 |
| Semi-finals | 21 December 2015 | 2–4 February 2016 (1st leg) 1–3 March 2016 (2nd leg) | 4 | 4 → 2 | €15,000 |
| Final | 21 December 2015 | 22 May 2016 | 1 | 2 → 1 | €300,000 (winner) €150,000 (runner-up) |

## First round

A total of 118 teams from the Campeonato de Portugal (CP) and the District Football Associations (D) entered the first round. The draw took place on Friday, 31 July 2015, at 11:00 WEST. The teams were divided into eight groups of 14 or 16 teams according to geographic criteria. Matches were played on 5, 6, 16 and 23 September 2015.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 18 / 18 | 19 / 19 | 78 / 78 | 40 / 40 | 155 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Second round

A total of 92 teams participated in the second round, comprising the 59 winners of the previous round, the 19 non-reserve teams competing in the 2015–16 LigaPro (II), and 14 teams randomly drawn from among the first-round losers (repechage). The draw took place on Monday, 14 September 2015, at 11:00 WEST. Matches were played on 26–27 September and 8 October 2015. According to the new competition regulations, Segunda Liga sides played their matches away against lower division opponents.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 18 / 18 | 19 / 19 | 53 / 78 | 20 / 40 | 110 / 155 |

### Repechage

The following 14 first-round losing teams were selected to compete in the second round:
* Alcochetense (D)
* Almancilense (CP)
* Amiense (D)
* Bustelo (CP)
* Casa Pia (CP)
* Coimbrões (CP)
* Gafanha (CP)
* Leiria e Marrazes (D)
* Limianos (CP)
* Manteigas (D)
* Mosteirense (D)
* Sabugal (CP)
* São Roque (D)
* Vitorino dos Piães (D)

### Fixtures
## Third round

A total of 64 teams participated in the third round, which included the 46 winners of the previous round and the 18 teams competing in the 2015–16 Primeira Liga (I). The draw took place on Thursday, 1 October 2015, at 12:00 WEST. Matches were played on 16–18 October 2015. Similarly to what occurred with Segunda Liga teams in the previous round, Primeira Liga sides played their matches away against lower division teams.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 18 / 18 | 14 / 19 | 25 / 78 | 7 / 40 | 64 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Fourth round

A total of 32 teams participated in the fourth round, all of which had advanced from the previous round. The draw took place on Friday, 23 October 2015, at 12:00 WEST, and unlike previous rounds, was free of restrictions. Matches were played on 20–22 November 2015.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 15 / 18 | 7 / 19 | 10 / 78 | 0 / 40 | 32 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Fifth round

A total of 16 teams participated in the fifth round, all of which had advanced from the previous round. The draw took place on Thursday, 26 November 2015, at 11:00 WET. Matches were played on 15–17 December 2015.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 10 / 18 | 5 / 19 | 1 / 78 | 0 / 40 | 16 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Quarter-finals

A total of eight teams participated in the quarter-finals, all of which had advanced from the previous round. The draw took place on Monday, 21 December 2015, at 12:00 WET. Matches were played on 13 January 2016.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 7 / 18 | 1 / 19 | 0 / 78 | 0 / 40 | 8 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Semi-finals

The semi-final pairings were determined on 21 December 2015, following the draw for the quarter-finals. This round was contested over two legs in a home-and-away system; the first leg was played on 3–4 February and the second leg was played on 2 March 2016.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 3 / 18 | 1 / 19 | 0 / 78 | 0 / 40 | 4 / 155 |

### Fixtures

Porto won 5–0 on aggregate.
Braga won 1–0 on aggregate.