Western Suburbs FC finished last in the 1971 league, and joined the winners of the Northern, Central, and Southern leagues - Takapuna City (North Shore), Waterside (Wellington), and New Brighton (Christchurch) respectively - in a play-off series to decide the team which would be granted entry to the national league.
There were two further changes to the league from the previous year; Dunedin Suburbs disbanded as a team, their place being taken by the Caversham side who had been instrumental in this short-lived union, and Mount Albert-Ponsonby also renamed themselves - briefly - as Auckland City [REF].