[1] The defending champions from the previous season were Étoile du Sahel.
Esperance de Tunis, the champions, drew the highest average home attendance of all clubs in the league with 11,000.
A total of 16 teams contested the league, including 13 sides from the 2015–16 season and three promoted from the 2015–16 Ligue 2.
The three teams replaced El Gawafel de Gafsa, Avenir de Kasserine and Stade Tunisien who were relegated to 2016–17 Tunisian Ligue 2.
[2] Étoile du Sahel were the defending champions from the 2015–16 season.