# 2016 Tippeligaen

The 2016 Tippeligaen was the 72nd completed season of top-tier football in Norway. The competition began on 11 March 2016. Due to the 2016 UEFA European Championship, there was a break between the rounds played on 29 May and 3 July. The decisive matches of the home-and-away season were played on 6 November 2016. A promotion/relegation play-off between the third-from-bottom team of the Tippeligaen and the winner of the promotion play-offs of the 2016 1. divisjon was contested on 30 November and 4 December 2016.
The league was contested by 16 teams: the 13 best teams of the 2015 season; the two teams who won direct promotion from the 2015 1. divisjon, Sogndal and Brann; and Start, who won the promotion/relegation play-off finals against Jerv.
The 2016 season was the last season the league was named Tippeligaen. The league changed its name to Eliteserien ahead of the 2017 season, a non-sponsor affiliated name controlled by the Football Association of Norway.

## Teams

Sixteen teams competed in the league – the top fourteen teams from the previous season, and two teams promoted from 1. divisjon.

### Stadia and locations

    Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
| Team | Ap. | Location | Arena | Turf | Capacity |
| Aalesund | 15 | Ålesund | Color Line Stadion | Artificial | 10,778 |
| Bodø/Glimt | 22 | Bodø | Aspmyra Stadion | Artificial | 7,354 |
| Brann | 59 | Bergen | Brann Stadion | Natural | 17,686 |
| Haugesund | 10 | Haugesund | Haugesund Stadion | Natural | 8,754 |
| Lillestrøm | 53 | Lillestrøm | Åråsen Stadion | Natural | 12,250 |
| Molde | 40 | Molde | Aker Stadion | Artificial | 11,800 |
| Odd | 35 | Skien | Skagerak Arena | Artificial | 12,500 |
| Rosenborg | 53 | Trondheim | Lerkendal Stadion | Natural | 21,405 |
| Sarpsborg 08 | 5 | Sarpsborg | Sarpsborg Stadion | Artificial | 4,700 |
| Sogndal | 17 | Sogndal | Fosshaugane Campus | Artificial | 5,539 |
| Stabæk | 20 | Bærum | Nadderud Stadion | Natural | 7,000 |
| Start | 40 | Kristiansand | Sør Arena | Artificial | 14,563 |
| Strømsgodset | 29 | Drammen | Marienlyst Stadion | Artificial | 8,935 |
| Tromsø | 29 | Tromsø | Alfheim Stadion | Artificial | 6,859 |
| Vålerenga | 56 | Oslo | Ullevaal Stadion | Natural | 28,000 |
| Viking | 67 | Stavanger | Viking Stadion | Natural | 16,300 |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Sponsor |
| Aalesund | Trond Fredriksen | Umbro | Sparebanken Møre |
| Brann | Lars Arne Nilsen | Hummel | Sparebanken Vest |
| Bodø/Glimt | Aasmund Bjørkan | Diadora | Sparebanken Nord-Norge |
| Haugesund | Andrea Loberto | Macron | Sparebanken Vest |
| Lillestrøm | Arne Erlandsen | Legea | DNB ASA |
| Molde | Ole Gunnar Solskjær | Nike | Sparebanken Møre |
| Odd | Dag-Eilev Fagermo | New Balance | Skagerak Energi |
| Rosenborg | Kåre Ingebrigtsen | Adidas | SpareBank 1 SMN |
| Sarpsborg 08 | Geir Bakke | Select | Borregaard |
| Sogndal | Eirik Bakke | Umbro | Sparebanken Vest |
| Stabæk | Antoni Ordinas | Adidas | SpareBank 1 Oslo Akershus |
| Start | Steinar Pedersen | Umbro | Sparebanken Sør |
| Strømsgodset | Tor Ole Skullerud | Puma | DNB ASA |
| Tromsø | Bård Flovik | Select | Sparebanken Nord-Norge |
| Vålerenga | Kjetil Rekdal | Umbro | DNB |
| Viking | Kjell Jonevret | Diadora | Lyse Energi |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment | Table |
| Stabæk | Bob Bradley | Contract expired | 10 November 2015 | Pre-season | Billy McKinlay | 30 November 2015 | Pre-season |
| Bodø/Glimt | Jan Halvor Halvorsen | Contract expired | 18 November 2015 | Pre-season | Aasmund Bjørkan | 18 November 2015 | Pre-season |
| Start | Bård Borgersen | Contract expired | 31 December 2015 | Pre season | Steinar Pedersen | 1 January 2016 | Pre season |
| Haugesund | Jostein Grindhaug | Contract expired | 31 December 2015 | Pre season | Mark Dempsey | 1 January 2016 | Pre season |
| Stabæk | Billy McKinlay | Resigned | 8 July 2016 | 15th | Antoni Ordinas | 8 July 2016 | 15th |
| Haugesund | Mark Dempsey | Resigned | 14 July 2016 | 6th | Andrea Loberto | 14 July 2016 | 6th |
| Lillestrøm | Rúnar Kristinsson | Sacked | 18 September 2016 | 15th | Arne Erlandsen | 19 September 2016 | 15th |
| Strømsgodset | Bjørn Petter Ingebretsen | Resigned | 13 October 2016 | 8th | Tor Ole Skullerud | 18 October 2016 | 8th |
| Vålerenga | Kjetil Rekdal | Structural changes | 21 October 2016 | 11th | Ronny Deila | 21 October 2016 | 11th |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Rosenborg (C) | 30 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 65 | 25 | +40 | 69 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Brann | 30 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 42 | 27 | +15 | 54 | Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Odd | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 44 | 35 | +9 | 51 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Haugesund | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 47 | 43 | +4 | 46 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Molde | 30 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 48 | 42 | +6 | 45 | |
| 6 | Sarpsborg 08 | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 35 | 37 | −2 | 45 | |
| 7 | Strømsgodset | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 44 | 40 | +4 | 44 | |
| 8 | Viking | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 33 | 35 | −2 | 43 | |
| 9 | Aalesund | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 46 | 51 | −5 | 42 | |
| 10 | Vålerenga | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 41 | 39 | +2 | 38 | |
| 11 | Sogndal | 30 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 36 | |
| 12 | Lillestrøm | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 50 | −5 | 34 | |
| 13 | Tromsø | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 36 | 46 | −10 | 34 | |
| 14 | Stabæk (O) | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 35 | 42 | −7 | 31 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |
| 15 | Bodø/Glimt (R) | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 36 | 45 | −9 | 30 | Relegation to First Division |
| 16 | Start (R) | 30 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 23 | 59 | −36 | 16 | Relegation to First Division |
* ↑ Rosenborg qualified for the Europa League second qualifying round by winning the 2016 Norwegian Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.

## Positions by round

| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Rosenborg | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Brann | 6 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Odd | 4 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Haugesund | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Molde | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| Sarpsborg 08 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Strømsgodset | 7 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Viking | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Aalesund | 5 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Vålerenga | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Sogndal | 15 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
| Lillestrøm | 8 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Tromsø | 11 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
| Stabæk | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
| Bodø/Glimt | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| Start | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
* Leader
* 2017–18 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round
* Relegation play-offs
* Relegation to 2017 1. divisjon

## Results

| Home \ Away | AAL | BOD | SKB | HAU | LSK | MFK | ODD | RBK | S08 | SIL | STB | IKS | SIF | TIL | VIF | VIK |
| Aalesund | — | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Bodø/Glimt | 0–1 | — | 1–3 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| Brann | 6–0 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 |
| Haugesund | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | — | 2–2 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| Lillestrøm | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Molde | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–2 | — | 4–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 |
| Odd | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | — | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Rosenborg | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 6–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | — | 5–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 |
| Sarpsborg 08 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | — | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 |
| Sogndal | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 4–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Stabæk | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Start | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–5 | — | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 0–1 |
| Strømsgodset | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Tromsø | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | — | 0–3 | 2–1 |
| Vålerenga | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | — | 0–2 |
| Viking | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — |

## Relegation play-offs

The 14th-placed team, Stabæk, took part in a two-legged play-off against Jerv, the winners of the 2016 1. divisjon promotion play-offs, to decide who would play in the 2017 Eliteserien.
Stabæk won 2–1 on aggregate and retained their place in the 2017 Eliteserien; Jerv remained in the 1. divisjon.

## Season statistics
### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals | Games | Average |
| 1 | Christian Gytkjær | Rosenborg | 19 | 28 | 0,68 |
| 2 | Mos | Aalesund | 13 | 29 | 0,45 |
| 3 | Fitim Azemi | Bodø/Glimt | 11 | 29 | 0,38 |
| 4 | Olivier Occéan | Odd | 10 | 28 | 0,36 |
| 4 | Torbjørn Agdestein | Haugesund | 10 | 30 | 0,33 |
| 6 | Fred Friday | Lillestrøm | 8 | 14 | 0,57 |
| 6 | Marcus Pedersen | Strømsgodset | 8 | 19 | 0,42 |
| 6 | Ghayas Zahid | Vålerenga | 8 | 28 | 0,29 |
| 6 | Mike Jensen | Rosenborg | 8 | 28 | 0,29 |
| 6 | Thomas Lehne Olsen | Tromsø | 8 | 30 | 0,27 |

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Kristoffer Tokstad | Sarpsborg 08 | Start | 4–1 (A) | 21 April 2016 |
| Mos | Aalesund | Tromsø | 6–0 (H) | 24 April 2016 |
| Christian Gytkjær | Rosenborg | Lillestrøm | 4–3 (A) | 6 August 2016 |
| Espen Ruud | Odd | Lillestrøm | 4–2 (A) | 11 September 2016 |

#### Notes

(H) – Home team (A) – Away team

### Discipline
#### Player

* Most yellow cards: 10
** Kjetil Wæhler (Vålerenga)
* Most red cards: 2
** Francisco Júnior (Strømsgodset)
** Frode Kippe (Lillestrøm)

#### Club

* Most yellow cards: 56
** Brann
* Most red cards: 4
** Strømsgodset

### Attendances

| Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change |
| 1 | Rosenborg | 263,781 | 21,298 | 14,142 | 17,585 | −2.5%$^†$ |
| 2 | Brann | 185,703 | 17,686 | 9,331 | 12,380 | +22.3%$^†$ |
| 3 | Vålerenga | 136,106 | 19,038 | 6,379 | 9,074 | −10.1%$^†$ |
| 4 | Viking | 132,195 | 11,347 | 7,069 | 8,813 | −14.2%$^†$ |
| 5 | Molde | 125,886 | 11,348 | 7,459 | 8,392 | −6.3%$^†$ |
| 6 | Odd | 120,582 | 10,678 | 6,440 | 8,039 | +1.6%$^†$ |
| 7 | Strømsgodset | 102,392 | 7,661 | 6,095 | 6,826 | −2.9%$^†$ |
| 8 | Aalesund | 95,546 | 10,013 | 5,215 | 6,370 | −4.9%$^†$ |
| 9 | Lillestrøm | 87,836 | 9,085 | 4,081 | 5,856 | +5.9%$^†$ |
| 10 | Haugesund | 78,183 | 7,722 | 4,081 | 5,212 | −3.2%$^†$ |
| 11 | Start | 66,985 | 7,273 | 3,401 | 4,466 | −27.4%$^†$ |
| 12 | Tromsø | 56,787 | 6,429 | 3,118 | 4,056 | +11.6%$^†$ |
| 13 | Sarpsborg 08 | 58,148 | 5,107 | 3,296 | 3,877 | +0.2%$^†$ |
| 14 | Stabæk | 57,130 | 4,938 | 3,052 | 3,809 | −1.8%$^†$ |
| 15 | Bodø/Glimt | 55,023 | 7,564 | 2,398 | 3,668 | +15.2%$^†$ |
| 16 | Sogndal | 47,152 | 5,600 | 2,375 | 3,143 | +9.2%$^†$ |
| | League total | 1,673,113 | 21,298 | 2,375 | 6,971 | +3.9%$^†$ |
Updated to games played on 6 November 2016 Source: nifs.no, fotball.no

## Awards
### Annual awards

| Award | Winner | Club |
| Player of the Year | Mike Jensen | Rosenborg |
| Goalkeeper of the Year | Piotr Leciejewski | Brann |
| Defender of the Year | Jonas Svensson | Rosenborg |
| Midfielder of the Year | Mike Jensen | Rosenborg |
| Striker of the Year | Christian Gytkjær | Rosenborg |
| Manager of the Year | Lars Arne Nilsen | Brann |
| Young Player of the Year | Sander Berge | Vålerenga |