This article is about the Dutch Hoofdklasse, for the similarly named season in Suriname see 2016–17 Hoofdklasse (Suriname)
The 2016–2017 season of the Hoofdklasse is competed in four leagues, two Saturday leagues and two Sunday leagues. The champions of each group will be promoted directly to the 2017–18 Derde Divisie. The 2016–17 Hoofdklasse started on Saturday 13 August 2016.
Play-offs
Promotion
In each competition teams play periods of 10 games for a total of 3 per season (30 games per season). After each period the best team which hasn't qualified yet will earn a spot in the play-offs for the Derde Divisie as the period champion. 6 teams from the Saturday Hoofdklasse will play against 2 teams from the Saturday Derde Divisie for 2 promotion spots. The teams from the Sunday leagues will do the same.[1]
Relegation
The teams in place 13 and 14 at the end of the season will fight against relegation in the relegation play-offs. They will face the period champions of the Eerste Klasse.[2]
There are only 15 teams participating, Haaglandia was withdrawn from the competition before the start of the season.[3] Therefore only 2 teams can qualify for the promotion play-offs.