| Competition: | MAXtv Prva Liga |
| Dates: | 10 July 2015 – 14 May 2016 |
| Season: | 2015–16 |
| Winners: | Dinamo Zagreb |
| Relegated: | NK Zagreb |
| Continentalcup1: | Champions League |
| Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | Dinamo Zagreb |
| Continentalcup2: | Europa League |
| Continentalcup2 Qualifiers: | Rijeka Hajduk Split Lokomotiva |
| League Topscorer: | Ilija Nestorovski (25) |
| Biggest Home Win: | Lokomotiva 6–1 Istra 1961 Rijeka 5–0 Osijek |
| Biggest Away Win: | Lokomotiva 0–4 Dinamo |
| Highest Scoring: | Lokomotiva 6–1 Istra 1961 |
| Matches: | 180 |
| Total Goals: | 410 |
| Longest Wins: | Dinamo Zagreb (12) |
| Longest Unbeaten: | Rijeka (22) |
| Longest Winless: | Istra 1961 (23) |
| Longest Losses: | Istra 1961, Osijek, NK Zagreb (4) |
| Highest Attendance: | 24,621 (Hajduk Split 0–3 Rijeka) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 138 (Zagreb 2–0 RNK Split) |
| Attendance: | 442,952 |
| Average Attendance: | 2,461[1] |
| Prevseason: | 2014–15 |
| Nextseason: | 2016–17 |
| Updated: | 14 May 2016[2] |
The 2015–16 Croatian First Football League (officially known as MAXtv Prva Liga for sponsorship reasons) was the 25th edition, since its establishment in 1992, of the Croatian First Football League national championship for men's football in Croatia. The season began on 10 July 2015 and ended on 14 May 2016.[3] 10 teams contested in a quadruple round robin format, with each team playing every other team four times over 36 matches.
Dinamo Zagreb sucessfully defended its 10th consecutive title in 2015 title. At the end of the previous season Zadar were relegated, ending their eight-season spell in top flight. They were replaced by Inter Zaprešić, who returned to the top level after two seasons in the second division.
On 20 April 2015, Croatian Football Federation announced that the first stage of licensing procedure for 2015–16 season was complete. For the 2015–16 Prva HNL, only six clubs were issued a top level license: Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Lokomotiva, Rijeka, Slaven Belupo and NK Zagreb. These clubs were also issued a license for participation in UEFA competitions. In the second stage of licensing, clubs that were not licensed in the first stage appealed the decision.[4] On 20 May 2015, all remaining Prva HNL clubs were granted top level license. Additionally, Istra 1961 and RNK Split obtained a license for UEFA competitions. Only three teams from Druga HNL acquired the top level license: Inter Zaprešić, Sesvete and Hrvatski Dragovoljac.[5]
The following teams participated in the 2015–16 Prva HNL.
| Stadium | City | Home club | Licensed club(s) | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38,079[6] | |||||
| 34,448[7] | |||||
| 5,228[8] | |||||
| 8,923[9] | |||||
| 22,050[10] | |||||
| 6,036[11] | |||||
| 3,134[12] | |||||
| 4,075[13] | |||||
| 8,850[14] |
| Club | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Sponsors | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinamo Zagreb | Puma | ||||
| Hajduk Split | Macron | Tommy | |||
| Inter Zaprešić | Joma | Veleučilište Baltazar Zaprešić | |||
| Istra 1961 | Erreà | Croatia Osiguranje | |||
| Lokomotiva | Nike | Crodux | |||
| Osijek | Jako | Osječko | |||
| Rijeka | Jako | ||||
| Slaven Belupo | adidas | Belupo | |||
| RNK Split | Jako | Skladgradnja | |||
| NK Zagreb | Kappa |
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hajduk Split | Removed from position | [15] | Pre-season | ||||
| Osijek | Contract expired | [16] | Pre-season | ||||
| Slaven Belupo | Signed by Lokomotiva | [17] | Pre-season | ||||
| Lokomotiva | (caretaker) | End of caretaker tenure | Pre-season | ||||
| NK Zagreb | Signed by Slaven Belupo | [18] | Pre-season | ||||
| Osijek | Sacked | [19] | 9th | ||||
| Lokomotiva | Signed by Croatia | [20] | 5th | ||||
| RNK Split | Mutual consent | [21] | 4th | ||||
| Istra 1961 | Sacked | [22] | (caretaker) | 7th | |||
| Istra 1961 | (caretaker) | End of caretaker tenure | [23] | 8th |
At the end of the season, ninth placed Istra 1961 qualified for a two-legged relegation play-off tie against Šibenik, runners-up of the 2015–16 Croatian Second Football League.
2–2 on aggregate. Istra 1961 won 5–4 on penalties.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals | Apps | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ilija Nestorovski | Inter Zaprešić | 25 | 33 | 2968 |
| 2 | Muzafer Ejupi | Slaven Belupo | 16 | 32 | 2429 |
| 3 | Roman Bezjak | Rijeka | 13 | 32 | 2625 |
 Armin Hodžić | Dinamo Zagreb | 24 | 1350 | ||
| 5 | Franko Andrijašević | Lokomotiva | 12 | 28 | 2354 |
 Junior Fernandes | Dinamo Zagreb | 28 | 2119 | ||
| Tino-Sven Sušić | Hajduk Split | 27 | 2305 | ||
| 8 | Gabrijel Boban | NK Zagreb | 10 | 31 | 2699 |
| 9 |  Bekim Balaj | Rijeka | 9 | 31 | 1856 |
| Eros Grezda | Lokomotiva | 29 | 2004 |
| Award[26] | Winner | Club | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player of the Season | Marko Pjaca | Dinamo Zagreb | |
| Manager of the Season | Zoran Mamić | Dinamo Zagreb | |
| Young Player of the Season | Ante Ćorić | Dinamo Zagreb | |
| Goalkeeper of the Season | Lovre Kalinić | Hajduk Split |
| Team of the Year[27] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Lovre Kalinić (Hajduk Split) | ||||||
| Defence | Stefan Ristovski (Rijeka) | Gordon Schildenfeld (Dinamo Zagreb) | Marko Lešković (Rijeka) | Josip Pivarić (Dinamo Zagreb) | |||
| Midfield | Marko Pjaca (Dinamo Zagreb) | Tino-Sven Sušić (Hajduk Split) | Rog (Dinamo Zagreb) | Marin Tomasov (Rijeka) | |||
| Attack | Ilija Nestorovski (Inter Zaprešić) | Ante Ćorić (Dinamo Zagreb) | |||||