1981 NPSL First Division

National Professional Soccer League
Season	1981
Champions	Kaizer Chiefs
Relegated	Lusitano, Pilkington United Bros, Stilfontein Big XI
	← 1980 1982 →

Last updated January 27, 2025

The 1981 National Professional Soccer League was the fourth season of the multi-racial South African National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). The league was a merger of the previous NPSL, which due to the country's apartheid policies were for black teams only, and the National Football League, for white teams only.

It was won by Kaizer Chiefs, who finished a point ahead of defending champions Highlands Park. Chiefs also won the Mainstay Cup, the BP Top 8 and the Sales House Champion of Champions.^[1]^[2] The 1981 Chiefs side is regarded as one of the best in the country's history.^[3]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Kaizer Chiefs	34	23	8	3	64	22	+42	54
2	Highlands Park	34	21	11	2	63	16	+47	53
3	Arcadia Shepherds	34	20	9	5	76	40	+36	49
4	Hellenic	34	19	8	7	73	34	+39	46
5	Wits University	34	16	12	6	56	34	+22	44
6	Witbank Black Aces	34	14	10	10	53	34	+19	38
7	Orlando Pirates	34	13	12	9	45	39	+6	38
8	Moroka Swallows	34	13	12	9	59	51	+8	38
9	Durban City	34	12	9	13	60	60	0	33
10	Benoni United	34	11	9	14	48	48	0	31
11	Dynamos	34	9	12	13	48	45	+3	30
12	Mamelodi United	34	10	10	14	32	37	−5	30
13	African Wanderers	34	8	11	15	34	53	−19	27
14	Leicester City	34	7	11	16	39	55	−16	25
15	AmaZulu	34	8	7	19	29	43	−14	23
16	Lusitano (R)	34	5	10	19	39	82	−43	20
17	Pilkington United Bros (R)	34	5	10	19	33	71	−38	20
18	Stilfontein Big XI (R)	34	2	8	24	34	106	−72	12

Source: https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf81.html
(R) Relegated

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References

↑ "South Africa 1981". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
↑ "History". www.kaizerchiefs.com. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
↑ KickOff. "The best teams ever in South Africa". Kickoff. Retrieved 24 January 2025.

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[1] "South Africa 1981". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 24 January 2025.

[2] "History". www.kaizerchiefs.com. Retrieved 24 January 2025.

[3] KickOff. "The best teams ever in South Africa". Kickoff. Retrieved 24 January 2025.

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v t e Seasons in South African soccer
Premiership teams (2024–25)	AmaZulu Cape Town City Chippa United Golden Arrows Kaizer Chiefs Magesi Marumo Gallants Mamelodi Sundowns Pirates Polokwane City Richards Bay Royal AM Sekhukhune United Stellenbosch SuperSport United TS Galaxy
First Division teams (2024–25)	Baroka Black Leopards Cape Town Spurs Casric Stars Durban City Highbury Hungry Lions JDR Stars Kruger United Leruma United Milford Orbit College Pretoria Callies University of Pretoria Upington City Venda
Premiership	1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
National First Division	1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
SAFA Second Division	1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Nedbank Cup	1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
MTN 8	1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Telkom Knockout/Carling Knockout Cup	1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2023 2024
Carling Black Label Cup	2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2019 2021 2022
National Football League	1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
Federation Professional League	1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
NPSL (1971-1977)	1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
NPSL (1978-1984)	1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
NPSL (1985-1995)	1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1984 1992 1983 1994 1995
National Soccer League (NSL)	1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
SASF Cup	1961 1962 1963 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
Telkom Charity Cup	1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Vodacom Challenge	1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011