| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan |
| Dates | 27 August 2016 – 1 January 2017 |
| Teams | 88 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Kashima Antlers (5th title) |
| Runner-up | Kawasaki Frontale |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 87 |
| Goals scored | 305 (3.51 per match) |
The 96th Emperor's Cup (第96回天皇杯全日本サッカー選手権大会) was the 2016 edition of the annual Japanese national cup tournament, which was held from 27 August 2016 to its final on 1 January 2017.[1]
Kashima Antlers won their fifth title after a 2–1 defeat of Kawasaki Frontale in the final after extra time.
Kashima Antlers would have qualified for the group stage of the 2017 AFC Champions League as the winner, but as they had already earned a spot by winning the 2016 J1 League, Kawasaki Frontale achieved it by way of finishing third in the 2016 J1 League.