The 1961–62 Intertoto Cup was the first Intertoto Cup, a football tournament for European clubs that would otherwise not have a European competition to compete in. The inaugural tournament was won by Ajax, who defeated Feyenoord in the final. The competition was contested by 32 clubs, almost exclusively from central Europe – Austria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden entered four clubs each; Poland entered two; and West Germany entered six clubs. Eventually the final became a clash between Dutch rivals Ajax and Feyenoord.
Location of teams of the 1961–62 Intertoto Cup group stage. Brown: Group A1; Red: Group A2; Orange: Group A3; Yellow: Group A4; Green: Group B1; Blue: Group B2; Purple: Group B3; Pink: Group B4.
Group stage
The teams were divided into eight groups of four clubs each. The groups were themselves divided geographically as 'A' for eastern countries (Austria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Poland) and 'B' for western countries (the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland). Teams from West Germany were placed in both sections. The eight group winners (in bold in the tables below) advanced to the knock-out rounds, with the four 'A' winners being drawn against the four 'B' winners.
Ajax (1st title)
Berliner FC Dynamo
Tasmania Berlin
Vorwärts Berlin
IFK Göteborg
Örgryte
First Vienna
Red: Group A2; 
Blue: Group B2; 
Slovan Bratislava (A)
Vorwärts Berlin
Odra Opole
Wiener AC
Osnabrück
IFK Göteborg
La Chaux-de-Fonds