The 2016 season is Sporting Cristal's 61st season in the Peruvian First Division, and also the club's 61st consecutive season in the top-flight of Peruvian football.
| Club: | Sporting Cristal |
| Season: | 2016 |
| Manager: | Mariano Soso |
| Chairman: | Federico Cúneo |
| Stadium: | Alberto Gallardo |
| League: | Torneo Descentralizado |
| League Result: | Champion |
| Cup1: | Copa Libertadores |
| Cup1 Result: | Second Stage |
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| Prevseason: | 2015 |
| Nextseason: | 2017 |
| Season Topscorer: | Santiago Silva (14) |
| Competition | Started round | Final position / round | First match | Last match | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torneo Descentralizado | Torneo Apertura | Champion[1] | Feb 6 | Dec 18 | |
| Copa Libertadores | Second stage | Second stage[2] | Feb 18 | Apr 19 |
See main article: 2016 Torneo Descentralizado.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Universitario | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 31 | 12 | +19 | 35 | |
| 2 | Sporting Cristal | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 21 | 11 | +10 | 26 | |
| 3 | Alianza Lima | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 18 | +6 | 26 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sporting Cristal | 30 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 46 | 27 | +19 | 53 | Qualification to the 2017 Copa Sudamericanaand advance to Liguilla A |
| 2 | Universitario | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 51 | 39 | +12 | 51 | |
| 3 | Melgar | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 48 | 38 | +10 | 46 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sporting Cristal | 44 | 21 | 12 | 11 | 70 | 48 | +22 | 77 | |
| 2 | Melgar | 44 | 21 | 11 | 12 | 68 | 48 | +20 | 74 | |
| 3 | Deportivo Municipal | 44 | 19 | 12 | 13 | 54 | 52 | +2 | 69 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sporting Cristal | 44 | 21 | 12 | 11 | 70 | 48 | +22 | 77 | Advance to Playoffs and qualification to the 2017 Copa Libertadores |
| 2 | Melgar | 44 | 21 | 11 | 12 | 68 | 48 | +20 | 74 | |
| 3 | Universitario | 44 | 20 | 11 | 13 | 73 | 61 | +12 | 72 |
See main article: article and 2016 Copa Libertadores.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlético Nacional | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | +12 | 16 | |
| 2 | Huracán | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | |
| 3 | Peñarol | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 5 | |
| 4 | Sporting Cristal | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 15 | −6 | 4 |