2015–16 Oman Professional League


The 2015–16 Oman Professional League is the 40th edition of the top football league in Oman. The season began on 13 September 2015 and conclude on 14 April 2016. The start of the 2015–16 Professional League season which was scheduled for 19 August 2015 was later postponed to 13 September 2015 following requests from five of the 14 participating clubs. Al-Oruba SC are the defending champions, having won their fourth title in the previous 2014–15 Oman Professional League season. At the end of the 25th round, Oman Football Association announced that if the top two teams at the end of the last round end up with equal points, the two teams will play a home and away championship play-off on 28 April 2016 and 2 May 2016 at the respective home grounds.
The curtains came down on a thrilling OPL season with Fanja SC outplaying Al-Suwaiq SC for a 2-0 victory and a record-equalling ninth domestic league crown on Sunday, 24 April 2016.

Teams

This season the league had 14 teams. Bowsher Club and Al-Seeb Club were relegated to the Oman First Division League after finishing in the relegation zone in the 2014–15 Oman Professional League season. Sohar SC however again managed to play in the top division as they won the Relegation/Promotion playoff against Al-Rustaq SC who had finished third in the 2014–15 Oman First Division League to earn the Relegation/Promotion playoff spot. The two relegated teams were replaced by Oman First Division League winners Muscat Club and runners-up Salalah SC.

Stadiums and locations

ClubHome cityStadiumCapacity
Al-Khabourah SCAl-KhaburahNizwa Sports Complex
Al-Musannah SCAl-MusannahAl-Seeb Stadium
Al-NahdaAl-BuraimiAl-Buraimi Sports Complex
Al-Nasr S.C.S.C.SalalahAl-Saada Stadium
Al-Oruba SCSurSur Sports Complex
Al-Shabab ClubBarkaAl-Seeb Stadium
Al-Suwaiq ClubAl-SuwaiqAl-Seeb Stadium
Dhofar S.C.S.C.SalalahAl-Saada Stadium
Fanja SCFanjaSultan Qaboos Sports Complex
Muscat ClubMuscatSultan Qaboos Sports Complex
Saham ClubSahamSohar Regional Sports Complex
Salalah SCSalalahAl-Saada Stadium
Sohar SCSoharSohar Regional Sports Complex
Sur SCSurSur Sports Complex

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
TeamHead coachAssistant coachCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing ManagerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming ManagerDate of appointment
Al-Khabourahnobreak|Yaseen Amal

Foreign players

Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team could use four foreign players on the field during each game including at least one player from the AFC country.
ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3AFC PlayerFormer Players
Al-Khabourah

Promotion/relegation play-off

2nd leg

Ja'lan earned promotion to 2016–17 Oman Professional League after winning 3-2 on aggregate.

Season statistics

Hat-tricks

* Player scored 4 goals

OFA Awards

Oman Football Association awarded the following awards for the 2015–16 Oman Professional League season.

Controversies

The league was the subject of controversies like the refusal of 2014–15 Oman Professional League and 2014–15 Sultan Qaboos Cup to play in the 2015 Oman Super Cup.
On 19 August 2015, the defending Oman Professional League and Sultan Qaboos Cup champions, Al-Oruba SC decided to pull out of the 2015 Oman Super Cup citing non-payment of dues by the Oman Football Association and a late release of its players from national and army team camps as the main reasons behind the club's decision to pull out. On 21 August 2015, Fanja was declared the winner of the Super Cup after its opponent, Al-Oruba, as expected failed to turn up for the match. On 6 September 2015, the defending champions were punished by the OFA's disciplinary committee for failing to turn up against Fanja in the 2015 Oman Super Cup. The defending champions of both the Oman Professional League and the Sultan Qaboos Cup were fined a sum of Omani Rial 500 and the committee decided that the club will play their first five 2015–16 Oman Professional League fixtures away from home.