The 2016–17 Bundesliga was the 54th season of the Bundesliga, Germany's premier football competition. It began on 26 August 2016 and ended on 20 May 2017.[2]Bayern Munich were the defending champions. Fixtures for the 2016–17 season were announced on 29 June 2016.[3]
Bayern Munich won their 26th Bundesliga title with three games to spare, becoming the first team to win 5 consecutive titles.[4][5]RB Leipzig became the runners-up, only a year after its promotion last season from the 2015–16 2. Bundesliga.
Teams
A total of 18 teams participated in this edition of the Bundesliga. VfB Stuttgart and Hannover 96 were relegated to 2016–17 2. Bundesliga. Former Bundesliga champion Stuttgart were relegated to the second level after 39 years, whereas Hannover 96 finished a 14-year stint in the top level. They were replaced by 2. Bundesliga champion SC Freiburg and 2. Bundesliga runner-up RB Leipzig. Freiburg immediately returned to the Bundesliga, whereas RB Leipzig made its debut. Finally Eintracht Frankfurt, 16th of Bundesliga faced 1. FC Nürnberg, third of 2. Bundesliga in a Bundesliga play-off. Eintracht won 2–1 on aggregate and remained in the top level.
^ abSince the winners of the 2016–17 DFB-Pokal, Borussia Dortmund, qualified for the Champions League based on league position, the Europa League group stage spot was passed to the sixth-placed team, Hertha BSC; and the Europa League third qualifying round spot was passed to the seventh-placed team, SC Freiburg.