1971 National Soccer League
League officials
League president: Ian Dickson replaced by Joe Piccininni
League secretary: Ivan Habus
Referees
Referees included Emerson Mathurin
Review of the season
St. Catharines Heidelberg joined the league. Ottawa Sons of Italy changed their name to Ottawa Tigers.
The member clubs of the NSL during 1971 season were:
Croatia National S.C. (Toronto)
Toronto Ukraina S. A.
Kitchener Concordia
Hellas Athletic Club (Toronto)
Toronto Hungaria S.C.
Serbia S. C. White Eagle (Toronto)
The First Portuguese Canadian Club
Sudbury City F. C.
Croatia Sport Club (Hamilton)
Tigers S.C. Ottawa
Heidelberg National S. C. (St Catharines)
Olympia F. C. (Toronto)
Hamilton Apollos
Homiros Hamilton F. C.
German Canadian Club (London)
Toronto Croatia won the league and playoff championship.
Total attendance at Stanley Park for the whole season was 145,000. Up 15,000 from the previous season.
Final standings
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
| Toronto Croatia | 26 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 58 | 14 | 47 |
| First Portuguese | 26 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 45 | 19 | 38 |
| Hamilton Croatia | 26 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 38 | 31 | 33 |
| Toronto Ukraina | 26 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 47 | 28 | 31 |
| Sudbury City | 26 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 55 | 34 | 31 |
| Olympia-Harmonie | 26 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 49 | 40 | 27 |
| London German-Can. | 26 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 57 | 54 | 26 |
| St. Cath Heidelberg | 26 | 11 | 12 | 3 | 42 | 42 | 25 |
| Serbian White Eagles | 26 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 37 | 39 | 23 |
| Hellas | 26 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 36 | 41 | 23 |
| Hungaria | 26 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 40 | 52 | 23 |
| Ottawa Tigers | 26 | ||||||
| Hamilton Apollos | 26 | 3 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 69 | 11 |
| Kitchener Kickers | 26 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 31 | 65 | 10 |
Leading goalscorer:
1. Ferruccio Deni (Sudbury City)
Leading goalkeeper:
1. Zeljko Bilecki (Toronto Croatia)
National Soccer League Play-offs
Play-off final
October 11, 1971 at Stanley Park
Attendance: 7,000
Toronto Croatia 1 (Bruno Pilas)
First Portuguese 0
National Soccer League Cup
First Portuguese won the 1971 National Soccer League Cup
Export Cup – Canadian Open Championship
October 17, 1971 Toronto
Attendance: 4,373
Toronto Croatia 3 (Bruno Pilas, Alija Solak, Marijan Bradvic)
Vancouver Eintracht 0
Exhibition games
July 3, 1971 Toronto
Attendance: 7,500
Toronto Croatia 0
Dinamo Zagreb 1 (Drago Vabec)
July 18, 1971 Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Hamilton Croatia 0
Dinamo Zagreb 10
National Soccer League 