The 1971–72 Regionalliga was the ninth season of the Regionalliga, the second tier of the German football league system. The league operated in five regional divisions, Berlin, North, South, Southwest and West. The five league champions and all five runners-up, at the end of the season, entered a promotion play-off to determine the two clubs to move up to the Bundesliga for the next season. The two promotion spots went to the Regionalliga West and Regionalliga Süd champions Wuppertaler SV and Kickers Offenbach.
The 1971–72 season saw two new clubs in the league, OSV Hannover and Polizei SV Bremen, both promoted from the Amateurliga, while no club had been relegated from the Bundesliga to the league.
The 1971–72 season saw two new clubs in the league, Berliner SV 1892 and Meteor 06 Berlin, both promoted from the Amateurliga Berlin, while no club had been relegated from the Bundesliga to the league.
The 1971–72 season saw four new clubs in the league, Bayer Uerdingen, VfL Klafeld and Arminia Gütersloh, both promoted from the Verbandsliga, while Rot-Weiß Essen had been relegated from the Bundesliga to the league.
The 1971–72 season saw two new clubs in the league, Phönix Bellheim and SpVgg Andernach, both promoted from the Amateurliga, while no club had been relegated from the Bundesliga to the league.
The 1971–72 season saw four new clubs in the league, SV Darmstadt 98, SpVgg Bayreuth and SpVgg Ludwigsburg, all three promoted from the Amateurliga, while Kickers Offenbach had been relegated from the Bundesliga to the league.