| Season: | 1961 |
| Nextseason: | 1962 |
1961 Soviet Class B was the twelfth season of the Soviet Class B football competitions since their establishment in 1950. It was also the 21st season of what eventually became known as the Soviet First League.
Notes: Textilshchik Kostroma was called Spartak.
Notes: Trud Glukhovo relocated to Noginsk. Spartak Smolensk was called Textilshchik.
Notes: Sokol Saratov was called Lokomotiv. Spartak Ryazan was called Trud. Torpedo Lipetsk was called Trudoviye Rezervy.
Notes: Dinamo Makhachkala was called Temp.
Notes: Tomich Tomsk was called SibElectroMotor. Angara Irkutsk was called Mashinostroitel. Baykal Ulan-Ude was called Lokomotiv.
[Oct 24 – Nov 5, Krasnodar]
Notes: SelMash Liepaja was called Krasny Metallurg.
| Number | Union republics | Team(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | FC Lokomotiv Gomel, FC Khimik Mogilyov, FC Krasnoye Znamya Vitebsk, FC Spartak Brest, FC Bobruisk | ||
| 3 | FC Lokomotiv Tbilisi, FC Ritsa Sukhumi, FC Dinamo Batumi | ||
| 2 | FC Shirak Leninakan, FC Lori Kirovakan | ||
| 2 | FC REZ Riga, FC SelMash Liepaja | ||
| 2 | FC Nistrul Bendery, FC Pishchevik Tiraspol | ||
| 1 | SKF Tallinn | ||
| 1 | FK Banga Kaunas |
Notes: Nairi Yerevan was called Burevestnik. Alga Frunze was called Spartak. Metallurg Chimkent was called Yenbek. Temp Sumgait was called Metallurg. Start Tashkent was called Mehnat.
| Number | Union republics | Team(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | FC Shakhter Karaganda, FC Metallurg Chimkent, FC Metallist Jambul | ||
| 3 | FC Textilshchik Kirovabad, FC Temp Sumgait, FC Spartak Baku | ||
| 3 | FC Spartak Fergana, FC Start Tashkent, FC Dinamo Samarkand | ||
| 2 | FC Torpedo Kutaisi, FC Metallurg Rustavi | ||
| 2 | FC Energetik Dushanbe, FC Pamir Leninabad | ||
| 1 | FC Kopet-Dag Ashkhabad | ||
| 1 | FC Nairi Yerevan | ||
| 1 | FK Alga Frunze |
[Oct 25 – Nov 5, Kishinev]