The 2016 Israel State Cup final decided the winner of the 2015âÂÂ16 Israel State Cup, the 81st season of Israel's main football cup. It was played on May 24, 2016 at the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa.
Maccabi Tel Aviv had previously played 34 Israel Cup Finals, had won the competition a record 23 times. Their most recent appearance in the final was the previous year's edition, in which they won 6âÂÂ2 over Hapoel Beer Sheva at Sammy Ofer in Haifa.
Maccabi Haifa had previously played in 15 finals, winning five. Their most recent appearance in the final was the previous year's edition, in which they lost 2âÂÂ1 to Hapoel Tel Aviv, and their most recent victory in the tournament was in 1998, beating Hapoel Jerusalem 2âÂÂ0.
Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa had played each other in four previous finals of the tournament. Maccabi Tel Aviv won in 2002 and 1987, and Maccabi Haifa won in 1962 and 1993.
The two teams played each other four times during the 2015âÂÂ16 Israeli Premier League season. In the first instance, at Sammy Ofer Stadium on 26 September 2015, Tel Aviv won 2âÂÂ0, Eden Ben Basat and Dor Peretz scoring. On 10 January 2016 at Bloomfield Stadium, Maccabi Tel Aviv won 2âÂÂ1. Eran Zahavi and Tal Ben Haim gave them a 2âÂÂ0 half-time lead. Yossi Benayoun shrinking down 2âÂÂ1. On 17 April 2016 at Sammy Ofer Stadium the game end drew 0âÂÂ0. The fourth match between the two teams was held in Bloomfield Stadium on 21 May 2016.