 Compass Stadium hosted the match | |||||||
| Event | 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship | ||||||
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| Stanford won 5–4 on penalties | |||||||
| Date | December 11, 2016 | ||||||
| Venue | BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas | ||||||
| College Cup Most Outstanding Player(s) | Andrew Epstein, Stanford (Defense) Ian Harkes, Wake Forest (Offense) | ||||||
| Referee | Mark Kadlecik | ||||||
| Attendance | 6,315 | ||||||
| Weather | Rain showers and 71 °F (22 °C) | ||||||
The 2016 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game was the final game of the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, determining the national champion for the 2016 NCAA Division I men's soccer season. The match was played on December 11, 2016, at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas, a soccer-specific stadium that is home to Major League Soccer club, Houston Dynamo. Stanford of the Pac-12 Conference won the match, and successfully defended their national championship. Stanford defeated Wake Forest of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The crowd of 6,315 saw the match decided on penalty kicks, where Stanford prevailed on a 5–4 scoreline, following a 0–0 draw in regulation and overtime. The title was Stanford's second ever title, in their fourth-ever appearance. It was Wake Forest's second appearance in the final.
Both teams were seeded in the NCAA Tournament, meaning they bypassed the first round of the tournament, and entered into the second round of play. Wake Forest was seeded second in the tournament, while Stanford was seeded fifth. Wake Forest and Stanford entered the tournament as their respective conference champions. Wake Forest had won their first ACC Men's Soccer Tournament since 1989, and their second altogether. The Pac-12 Conference does not have a conference tournament, so the regular season champions are also crowned the conference champions. Stanford won their third-straight Pac-12 title, and their fourth title overall. Wake Forest secured its place in the final by defeating Coastal Carolina, SIU Edwardsville, Virginia Tech and Denver. Stanford reached the final with victories over Pacific, Virginia, Louisville, and North Carolina.