1938 National Soccer League
President: Duncan Cameron
Vice-presidents: Arthur Arnold and A. Bush
Secretary: George McBain
Preview
The Annual General Meeting of the National Soccer League was held in Toronto on February 20, 1938. Duncan Cameron of Montreal was elected president of the league. Arthur Arnold of Hamilton and A. Bush of Montreal were elected vice-presidents. George McBain of Toronto was re-elected as secretary. Eight clubs from Montreal were represented at the meeting, and seven from Toronto and Hamilton. No clubs from the northern section were represented at the meeting.
Review of the season – Western Division
On September 27 secretary George McBain announced that due to a lack of suitable dates the Atholstan Cup finals would be postponed until the next spring. The finals were however never played and the championship was awarded to Montreal Royal Victoria Hospital.
In December Hamilton Thistle were suspended by the league. They were replaced by Hamilton Stelco in the 1939 NSL season.
Final standings
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
| Ulster United | 24 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 55 | 26 | 34 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 24 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 39 | 42 | 26 |
| British Consols | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 34 | 32 | 25 |
| Hamilton City | 24 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 29 | 30 | 24 |
| Toronto Scottish | 24 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 35 | 38 | 24 |
| England United | 24 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 46 | 51 | 23 |
| Hamilton Thistles | 24 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 18 | 37 | 12 |
Western Section Play-offs
September 17, 1938 Toronto
Ulster United 3
British Consols 2
Ulster United qualified for Western Section Finals
September 17, 1938 Toronto
Toronto Scottish 2
Toronto Maple Leafs 2
September ??, 1938 Replay
Toronto Scottish
Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs qualified for Western Section Finals
Western Section finals
September 24, 1938 Toronto
Toronto Maple Leafs 1
Ulster United 3
September 26, 1938 Toronto
Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Ulster United 6
Ulster United won the two-game, total-goals series, and qualified for Atholstan Cup Final.
Review of the season – Eastern Division
Final standings
| GP | W | L | T | Pts | |
| Montreal Carsteel | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 24 |
| Royal Victoria Hospital | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 24 |
| Montreal C. N. R. | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 |
| Wanderers | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 17 |
| Maisonneuve Rovers | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 13 |
| Glen Yards | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 7 |
| Sons of Scotland | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 7 |
| Hamilton United | 14 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
Eastern Section Play-offs
September 5, 1938 Glen Yards grounds, Montreal
Royal Victoria Hospital 1
Carsteel 0
After OT
Royal Victoria Hospital won 1-0 after overtime and qualified for Atholstan Cup Final.
Atholstan Cup Final
Royal Victoria Hospital defeated Ulster United*
*The 1938 Atholstan Cup Final was postponed until the spring of 1939, but was never played. The championship was awarded to Montreal Royal Victoria Hospital.
Exhibition games
April 17, 1938 Bemo Field, Buffalo, New York
Buffalo Becks 2
Hamilton City 3
May 25, 1938 Ulster Stadium, Toronto
Ulster United 2 (Sam McNabney 2)
Islington Corinthians 3 (J. Miller 2, Sherwood)
Attendance: 1500
Referee: J. Murphy
Ulster United: Seymour; Bill Davison, Doug McBride; James Loney, Norman Bundy, Harold McCullough; Sam McNabney, Johnny Aiken, George Graham, Tommy Axe, Bob Hume.
Islington Corinthians: Longman; Manning, Clark; Wright, Whittaker, Dance; Braithwaite, Sherwood, Bradbury, W. Miller, J. Miller.
May 27, 1938 Molson Stadium, Montreal
Montreal All-Stars 2 (Shorrock 2)
Islington Corinthians 7 (Sherwood 5, Braithwaite, J. Miller)
Referee: Irving
Montreal: Alf Bates; Jimmy Ryrie, George White; Lyall, Ronnie Low, McLean; Harris, Herb Leah, Dick Shorrock, George Chambers, Ford.
Islington Corinthians: Longman; Manning, Clark; Bradbury, Whittaker, Dance; Reid, Braithwaite, Sherwood, W. Miller, J. Miller.
October 30, 1938 Mack Park, Detroit, Michigan
Detroit All-Stars 3 (Joe Watt, Stan Trantor, Jeff Coombes)
Toronto Ulster United 4 (George Graham 2, Ollie Sutton 2)
Attendance: 2,000
Referee:
Detroit All-Stars: Van Neste;
Ulster United: Bill Breadon;
National Soccer League 