The 2021 National Premier Soccer League season was the 19th season of the National Premier Soccer League and part of the 109th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States. The 2020 season was cancelled after five weeks of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Miami FC, the defending league champions from 2019, left in the previous off-season and joined the National Independent Soccer Association and later the USL Championship.
The regular season started on May 1 and concluded on July 17. In total, 76 teams participated this season with a further 14 playing in conferences that decided not to participate in the summer season.
The 2021 season saw a number of changes with many in part due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic. Both the Northwest and Golden Gate Conference will not take part in traditional summer season. The NPSL later announced the Golden Gate teams would play a regular season schedule, but with it commencing in June and ending in August meaning none of the teams would be eligible for the postseason or U.S. Open Cup berths. Due to this, the South Region's Lone Star Conference joined the west for 2021 allowing two separate conferences to compete for the regional title.
The changes made ahead of last season, such as the renaming of the Northeast Region to the "East Region", the Southeast Conference's move to the East, and the renaming of the East Conference to the "Rust Belt Conference" all remained in effect. The Gulf Coast Conference, which was created ahead of 2020, will play its inaugural season in 2021.
Note: Teams that are italicized previously played in the NPSL and are returning from hiatus.
Note: Teams <s>lined out</s> are on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic but still listed on the league website.
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
Note: Games are hosted by the highest seed unless noted otherwise
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Bold = winner<br/><nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Championship MVP: Trevor Amann (DEN)
In early 2021, the NPSL announced the "Return to Play Series" which was originally meant to act as a series of competitive matches ahead of the 2021 summer season between league members. However, following the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertain nature of west coast conferences the format was altered to act as a separate competition from the summer season. The eight members of the Golden Gate Conference were later announced as participants in the "Golden Gate Competition" with a round robin format scheduled over June and July.
<onlyinclude></onlyinclude>
Note: Games are hosted by the highest seed unless noted otherwise
Bold = winner<br/> <nowiki>*</nowiki> = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score