# 2016–17 Taça de Portugal

The 2016–17 Taça de Portugal was the 77th season of the Taça de Portugal, the premier knockout competition in Portuguese football. It was 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, 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 3 September 2016 and concluded on 28 May 2017, with the final at the Estádio Nacional in Oeiras.
The title holders were Braga, who won the competition for the second time after beating Porto in the previous final, but were eliminated in the fifth round by Sporting da Covilhã.

## Format

As in the previous season, the competition format is organised in a knockout system consisting of seven rounds before the final match. The concept of repechage introduced in the previous edition was kept, 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 120 teams entered the tournament in the first round, 79 competing in the third-tier Campeonato de Portugal and 41 representatives from the District Football Associations. In the second round, the previous round winners will be joined by the 17 teams competing in the second-tier LigaPro. In the third round, the 18 top-tier Primeira Liga teams will enter 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 will play away against teams from lower tiers; after the third round, the draw will have no restrictions.
Unlike the earlier one-legged rounds, the semi-finals will be played as two-legged ties, with home and away matches. The final will be 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 | 120 | none | 120 | Campeonato de Portugal (3rd) District Football Associations (4th) |
| Second round | 110 | 92 | 60+15 | 17 | 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:
2016–17 Taça de Portugal teams :
Primeira Liga (18 teams) :
Arouca
Belenenses
Benfica
Boavista
Braga
Chaves
Estoril
Feirense
Marítimo
Moreirense
Nacional
Paços de Ferreira
Porto
Rio Ave
Sporting CP
Tondela
Vitória de Guimarães
Vitória de Setúbal :
LigaPro (17 teams) :
Académica
Académico de Viseu
Cova da Piedade
Desportivo das Aves
Fafe
Famalicão
Freamunde
Gil Vicente
Leixões
Olhanense
Penafiel
Portimonense
Santa Clara
Sporting da Covilhã
União da Madeira
Varzim
Vizela :
Campeonato de Portugal (79 teams) :
Series A (10 teams)
AD Oliveirense
Bragança
Limianos
Merelinense
Mirandela
Montalegre
Pedras Salgadas
Ponte da Barca
Torcatense
Vilaverdense
Series B (9 teams)
Aliança de Gandra
Amarante
Camacha
Caniçal
Felgueiras 1932
Pedras Rubras
São Martinho
Torre de Moncorvo
Trofense
Series C (10 teams)
Cesarense
Cinfães
Coimbrões
Estarreja
Gondomar
Moimenta da Beira
Oliveirense
Salgueiros
Sanjoanense
Sousense
Series D (10 teams)
Académica – SF
AD Nogueirense
Anadia
Gafanha
Gouveia
Lusitano de Vildemoinhos
Mortágua
Pampilhosa
Recreio de Águeda
Tourizense
Series E (10 teams)
Benfica e Castelo Branco
Carapinheirense
Fátima
Naval 1º de Maio
Oleiros
Operário
Sertanense
Sporting Ideal
União de Leiria
Vitória de Sernache
Series F (10 teams)
Alcanenense
Angrense
Caldas
Gafetense
Ginásio de Alcobaça
Lusitânia
Mafra
Praiense
Torreense
Vilafranquense
Series G (10 teams)
1º de Dezembro
Atlético CP
Atlético da Malveira
Barreirense
Casa Pia
Loures
Oriental
Real
Sacavenense
Sintrense
Series H (10 teams)
Almancilense
Armacenenses
Fabril do Barreiro
Farense
Louletano
Lusitano VRSA
Mineiro Aljustrelense
Moura
Pinhalnovense
Sporting de Viana do Alentejo :
District Football Associations (41 teams) :
Algarve FA: Quarteirense (2nd) & Lagoa (3rd)
Angra do Heroísmo FA: None
Aveiro FA: Beira-Mar (CW) & Sporting de Espinho (2nd)
Beja FA: Praia de Milfontes (2nd)
Braga FA: Joane (CR), Santa Eulália (2nd) & Maria da Fonte (3rd)
Bragança FA: Sendim (CW) & Águia de Vimioso (1st)
Castelo Branco FA: Alcains (3rd) & Académico do Fundão (4th)
Coimbra FA: Vinha da Rainha (CR) & Sourense (2nd)
Évora FA: Lusitano de Évora (CW) & Redondense (2nd)
Guarda FA: Aguiar da Beira (CW) & Trancoso (2nd)
Horta FA: Flamengos (CW)
Leiria FA: Beneditense (CW) & Marinhense (2nd)
Lisboa FA: Santa Iria (CW) & Sporting de Lourel (CR)
Madeira FA: Cruzado Canicense (CW)
Ponta Delgada FA: None
Portalegre FA: Mosteirense (CW) & Gavionenses (CR)
Porto FA: Barrosas (CW), Raimonda (CR) & Valadares Gaia (2nd)
Santarém FA: Fazendense (CW) & Cartaxo (2nd)
Setúbal FA: Amora (CW) & Beira-Mar de Almada (CR)
Viana do Castelo FA: Atlético dos Arcos (CW) & Cerveira (2nd)
Vila Real FA: Cerva (CW) & Vilar de Perdizes (2nd)
Viseu FA: Penalva do Castelo (CW) & Sátão (2nd)
Azores League: Rabo de Peixe (2nd) & São Roque (Açores) (7th)
CW – Cup winners; CR – Cup runners-up; nth – League spot.
Notes
↑ Reserve or B teams are not eligible to participate.
↑ Marítimo B, a reserve team which plays in the Series B, are ineligible to play in the competition.
↑ Not to be confused with Associação Académica de Coimbra – O.A.F. (from LigaPro).
↑ Piense, the cup runners-up, declined to participate.
↑ Sporting da Covilhã B, the league champions and cup runners-up, are a reserve team, therefore ineligible to play in the competition.
↑ Both cup winners, Santa Clara and cup runners-up, Sporting Ideal, were qualified as they compete in the top-three tiers of Portuguese football. :

## Schedule

All draws are held at the FPF headquarters at Cidade do Futebol, in Oeiras. 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 | 10 August 2016 | 4 September 2016 | 60 | 155 → 110 | €2,000 |
| Second round | 8 September 2016 | 25 September 2016 | 46 | 110 → 64 | €3,000 |
| Third round | 29 September 2016 | 16 October 2016 | 32 | 64 → 32 | €4,000 |
| Fourth round | 21 October 2016 | 20 November 2016 | 16 | 32 → 16 | €5,000 |
| Fifth round | 24 November 2016 | 13–15 December 2015 | 8 | 16 → 8 | €7,500 |
| Quarter-finals | 20 December 2016 | 17–19 January 2017 | 4 | 8 → 4 | €10,000 |
| Semi-finals | 20 December 2016 | 1 March 2017 (1st leg) 5 April 2017 (2nd leg) | 4 | 4 → 2 | €15,000 |
| Final | 20 December 2016 | 28 May 2017 | 1 | 2 → 1 | €300,000 (winner) €150,000 (runner-up) |

## First round

A total of 120 teams from the Campeonato de Portugal (CP) and the District Football Associations (D) entered the first round. The draw took place on Wednesday, 10 August 2016, at 15:00 WEST. The teams were divided into eight groups of 14 or 16 teams according to geographic criteria. Matches were played on 3 and 4 September 2016.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 18 / 18 | 17 / 17 | 79 / 79 | 41 / 41 | 155 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Second round

A total of 92 teams participated in the second round, comprising the 60 winners of the previous round, the 17 non-reserve teams competing in the 2016–17 LigaPro (II), and 15 teams randomly drawn from among the first-round losers (repechage). The draw took place on Thursday, 8 September 2016, at 15:30 WEST. Matches were played on 24 and 25 September 2016. LigaPro 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 | 17 / 17 | 56 / 79 | 19 / 41 | 110 / 155 |

### Repechage

The following 15 first-round losing teams were selected to compete in the second round:
* Anadia (CP)
* Barrosas (D)
* Casa Pia (CP)
* Cerva (D)
* Gavionenses (D)
* Gouveia (CP)
* Lusitano de Évora (D)
* Naval 1º de Maio (CP)
* Pampilhosa (CP)
* Rabo de Peixe (D)
* São Roque (Açores) (D)
* Sendim (D)
* Sousense (CP)
* Sporting de Lourel (D)
* Vilafranquense (CP)

### 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 2016–17 Primeira Liga (I). The draw took place on Thursday, 29 September 2016, at 17:30 WEST. Matches were played on 13, 14, 15 and 16 October 2016. Similarly to what occurred with LigaPro 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 | 15 / 17 | 30 / 79 | 1 / 41 | 64 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Fourth round

A total of 32 teams participate in the fourth round, all of which advanced from the previous round. The draw took place on Friday, 21 October 2016, at 12:00 WEST, and unlike previous rounds, was free of restrictions. Matches were played on 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20 November 2016.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 14 / 18 | 10 / 17 | 8 / 79 | 0 / 41 | 32 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Fifth round

A total of 16 teams participated in the fifth round, all of which advanced from the previous round. The draw took place on Thursday, 24 November 2016, at 15:00 WET. Matches were played on 14–15 December 2016.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 8 / 18 | 4 / 17 | 4 / 79 | 0 / 41 | 16 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Quarter-finals

A total of eight teams participated in the quarter-finals, all of which advanced from the previous round. The draw took place on Tuesday, 20 December 2016, at 15:00 WET. Matches were played on 17–18 January 2017.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 5 / 18 | 3 / 17 | 0 / 79 | 0 / 41 | 8 / 155 |

### Fixtures
## Semi-finals

The semi-final pairings were determined on Tuesday, 20 December 2016, at 15:00 WET, following the draw for the quarter-finals. This round was contested over two legs in a home-and-away system; the first legs were played on 1 March and the second legs were played on 5 April 2017.
Number of teams per tier entering this round :
| Primeira Liga | LigaPro | Campeonato de Portugal | District FAs | Total |
| 4 / 18 | 0 / 17 | 0 / 79 | 0 / 41 | 4 / 155 |

### Fixtures

Benfica won 5–4 on aggregate.
3–3 on aggregate. Vitória de Guimarães won on away goals.