2015–16 DFB-Pokal

[1] The DFB-Pokal is considered the second-most important club title in German football after the Bundesliga championship.

The defending champions were Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, after they beat Borussia Dortmund 3–1 in the previous final on 30 May 2015.

[2] They were knocked out of the competition in the second round by record title-holders Bayern Munich, losing 1–3.

[3] The Bavarians eventually progressed to the final where they defeated Borussia Dortmund 4–3 on penalties, as the match finished 0–0 after extra time, to win their eighteenth title, and third in four years.

[4] The winner of the DFB-Pokal earned automatic qualification to the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League group stages.

Of the remaining slots, 21 were given to the cup winners of the regional football associations, the Verbandspokal.

The 3 remaining slots were given to the three regional associations with the most men's teams, which at the rime were Bavaria, Lower Saxony, and Westphalia.

The best amateur team of the Regionalliga Bayern and Oberliga Westfalen were given the slot for Bavaria and Westphalia, respectively.

[6] If a player received five yellow cards, even throughout multiple seasons, he was then banned from the next cup match.

If a player received a red card, they were banned a minimum of one match, but more could be added by the German Football Association.

[6] The winner of the DFB-Pokal earns automatic qualification for the group stage of next year's edition of the UEFA Europa League.

As winners Bayern Munich had already qualified for the UEFA Champions League by winning the Bundesliga, the spot went to the team in sixth, Mainz 05, and the league's second qualifying round spot went to the team in seventh, Hertha BSC.

[13] The lowest ranked team left in the competition was SSV Reutlingen from the fifth tier of German football.

[15] The lowest ranked team left in the competition was SpVgg Unterhaching from the fourth tier of German football.

In Germany, all matches and the "conference" were broadcast live on pay TV via Sky Sport.

[9] Selected matches from the first round to the quarter-finals were broadcast on free TV by Das Erste from ARD.

The following matches were broadcast live on free German television channel Das Erste: Each participating team received a reward from the TV money and from the central promotional marketing (TV, stadium, and sleeve advertising) by the DFB.

For wearing the sleeve advertising each participant received, according to the implementing provisions of the DFB-Pokal, €10,000 per game and round.