The number of participants fell by one this season following Ballymoney United's relegation from the 2014–15 NIFL Championship 2 to regional football.
For the third consecutive season Cliftonville were the defending champions, following their 3–2 win over Ballymena United in the 2015 final.
[2] This season they once again pulled off a successful defence of the Cup, defeating second-tier side Ards 3–0 in the final.
Ards' previous final appearance had also been against Cliftonville, when they won the Cup 2–0 on penalties after a 0–0 draw in 1994–95.
Limavady United were the lowest-ranked club to reach the third round, as the last remaining representative from the third tier.
As the only club from outside the top-flight to reach the semi-finals, Ards were the lowest-ranked side remaining in the competition at this stage.
Ards became only the second club from outside the top flight to reach the final in the competition's history, and the first since Portadown (who were in the second tier at the time) did so in 2008–09.