A total of 36 teams will contest the league divided into three groups, Lohko A (Group A), Lohko B (Group B) and Lohko C (Group C). 25 returning from the 2015 season, two relegated from Ykkönen and nine promoted from Kolmonen. The champion of each group and the best runner-up will qualify to promotion matches to decide which two teams get promoted to the Ykkönen. The bottom three teams in each group will qualify directly for relegation to Kolmonen. Each team will play a total of 22 matches, playing twice against each team of its group.
VIFK and MP were relegated from the 2015 Ykkönen, while KPV and GrIFK were promoted to the 2016 Ykkönen.
ÅIFK, FC Kiisto, FC Myllypuro, I-Kissat, JBK, JIPPO, KaaPo, Kerho 07, Masku, NJS, P-Iirot and PK Keski-Uusimaa were relegated from 2015 Kakkonen.
EsPa, FC Åland, FC Espoo, Hercules, MPS, PEPO, PPT, SC KuFu-98 and Virkiä were promoted from the 2015 Kolmonen.
ESC gave up its place in Kakkonen. The place was taken by FC Kontu.
Groups
Lohko A (Group A) No. Abbreviated Name Town or Settlement Official Club and Team Name Movements from 2015 1. FC Futura Porvoo FC Futura 2. FC Lahti Akatemia Lahti FC Kuusysi 3. FCV Jyväskylä FC Vaajakoski 4. Gnistan Helsinki IF Gnistan 5. JäPS Järvenpää Järvenpään Palloseura 6. Kultsu FC Lappeenranta Kultsu FC 7. KäPa Helsinki Käpylän Pallo 8. MPS Helsinki Malmin PalloseuraPromoted from 2015 Kolmonen 9. MP Mikkeli Mikkelin PalloilijatRelegated from 2015 Ykkonen 10. PEPO Lappeenranta PEPO LappeenrantaPromoted from 2015 Kolmonen 11. SC KuFu-98 Kuopio Soccer Club Kuopio Futis -98Promoted from 2015 Kolmonen 12. Sudet Kouvola Sudet
Lohko B (Group B)
No. Abbreviated Name Town or Settlement Official Club and Team Name Movements from 2015 1. Atlantis FC Helsinki Atlantis FC 2. BK-46 Karis Bollklubben-46 3. EsPa Espoo Etelä-Espoon PalloPromoted from 2015 Kolmonen 4. FC Espoo Espoo FC EspooPromoted from 2015 Kolmonen 5. FC Honka Espoo FC Honka 6. FC Kiffen Helsinki FC Kiffen 08 7. FC Kontu Helsinki FC Kontu 8. FC Viikingit Helsinki FC Viikingit Edustus 9. FC Åland Sund, Åland Football Club ÅlandPromoted from 2015 Kolmonen 10. Klubi-04 Helsinki Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi 11. SalPa Salo Salon Palloilijat 12. TPV Tampere Tampereen Pallo-Veikot
Lohko C (Group C)
No. Abbreviated Name Town or Settlement Official Club and Team Name Movements from 2015 1. AC Kajaani Kajaani AC Kajaani 2. FC Jazz 2 Pori FC Jazz 2Promoted from 2015 Kolmonen 3. FC Santa Claus AC Rovaniemi FC Santa Claus Arctic Circle 4. GBK Kokkola Gamlakarleby Bollklubb 5. Närpes Kraft Närpes Närpes Kraft Fotbollsförening 6. FC YPA Ylivieska Jalkapalloseura FC YPA 7. Hercules Oulu Jalkapalloseura HerculesPromoted from 2015 Kolmonen 8. Virkiä Lapua Lapuan VirkiäPromoted from 2015 Kolmonen 9. MuSa Pori Musan Salama 10. OPS Oulu Oulun Palloseura 11. TP-47 Tornio Tornion Pallo -47 12. VIFK Vaasa Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna VasaRelegated from 2015 Ykkonen League tables
Lohko A (Group A)
Lohko B (Group B)
Lohko C (Group C)
Runner-up teams At the end of the season, a comparison is made between the runners-up. The best runner-up will qualify to promotion matches.
Promotion play-offs Group winners and the best runner-up will play two-legged ties. Team pairs will be drawn and the two winning teams will be promoted to the Ykkönen for season 2017.
Group winners
The best runner-up MuSa
First leg
Second leg
1–1 on aggregate. Gnistan won 4–3 on penalties.
FC Honka won 4–3 on aggregate.
References