| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | Netherlands | 
| Teams | 51 | 
| Defending champions | Ajax | 
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Ajax | 
| Runner-up | Sparta | 
The 53rd edition of the KNVB Cup started on August 15, 1970. The final was played on May 20, 1971: Ajax beat Sparta 2–1 and won the cup for the sixth time.
Teams
- The 18 participants of the Eredivisie 1970-71
- The 16 participants of the Eerste Divisie 1970-71
- The 17 participants of the Tweede Divisie 1970–71
First round
The matches of the first round were played on August 15 and 16 1970. Cupholders Ajax E received a bye for this round.
| Home team | Result | Away team | 
|---|---|---|
| Holland Sport E | 4–0 | RBC 2 | 
| HVC 1 | 0–3 | PSV E | 
| MVV E | (p) 2-2 | Limburgia 2 | 
| RCH 2 | (p) 0-0 | Blauw Wit 1 | 
| Roda JC 2 | 0–1 | NEC E | 
| Cambuur Leeuwarden 1 | 3–1 | EDO 2 | 
| Sparta E | 2–1 | VVV 2 | 
| SVV 1 | 2–1 | FC Wageningen 1 | 
| Telstar E | 0–2 | SC Drenthe 2 | 
| Vitesse Arnhem 1 | (p) 1-1 | ZFC 2 | 
| FC Volendam E | 1–2 | Heracles 1 | 
| Willem II 1 | 1–0 | PEC Zwolle 2 | 
| Home team | Result | Away team | 
|---|---|---|
| AGOVV 2 | 0–5 | Feijenoord E | 
| AZ'67 E | 2–0 | Helmond Sport 1 | 
| De Graafschap 1 | 2–3 (aet) | NOAD 2 | 
| De Volewijckers 2 | 1–3 | ADO E | 
| DFC 1 | 0–1 | HFC Haarlem E | 
| DWS E | 2–1 | VV Baronie 2 | 
| Excelsior E | 1–0 (aet) | Fortuna Vlaardingen 2 | 
| FC Den Bosch 1 | 2–0 | sc Heerenveen 1 | 
| GVAV 1 | 2–1 | SC Gooiland 2 | 
| FC Twente E | 7–0 | Hermes DVS 2 | 
| FC Utrecht E | 3–1 | FC Eindhoven 2 | 
| Fortuna Sittard 1 | 1–0 | NAC E | 
| Go Ahead Eagles E | 9–2 | Veendam 1 | 
E Eredivisie; 1 Eerste Divisie; 2 Tweede Divisie
Second round
The matches of the second round were played on November 8, 1970. The following clubs received a bye: Fortuna Sittard, FC Twente, Holland Sport, HFC Haarlem, Sparta Rotterdam and SC Drenthe.
| Home team | Result | Away team | 
|---|---|---|
| NEC | 2–0 | Vitesse Arnhem | 
| NOAD | 1–1 (p) | FC Den Bosch | 
| PSV | 0–0 (p) | Feijenoord | 
| RCH | 2–0 | MVV | 
| Cambuur Leeuwarden | 4–2 | Willem II | 
| Home team | Result | Away team | 
|---|---|---|
| AZ'67 | 2–2 (p) | SVV | 
| DWS | 2–0 | FC Utrecht | 
| Excelsior | 1–2 (aet) | FC Groningen | 
| Go Ahead Eagles | 1–2 | ADO | 
| Heracles | 0–3 | Ajax | 
Round of 16
The matches of the round of 16 were played on March 14, 1971.
| Home team | Result | Away team | 
|---|---|---|
| Ajax | 4–0 | FC Den Bosch | 
| FC Groningen | 2–1 | Holland Sport | 
| Fortuna Sittard | 2–1 | SVV | 
| HFC Haarlem | 0–1 | ADO | 
| NEC | 1–0 | DWS | 
| Cambuur Leeuwarden | 0–3 | Feijenoord | 
| SC Drenthe | 0–1 (aet) | RCH | 
| Sparta | 3–2 (aet) | FC Twente | 
Quarter finals
The quarter finals were played on April 7 and 8 1971.
| Home team | Result | Away team | 
|---|---|---|
| Feijenoord | 1–2 | Ajax | 
| Fortuna Sittard | 2–1 (aet) | FC Groningen | 
| NEC | 1–0 | ADO | 
| RCH | 1–4 | Sparta | 
Semi-finals
The semi-finals were played on April 21 and 22 1971.
| Home team | Result | Away team | 
|---|---|---|
| Ajax | 2–0 | NEC | 
| Fortuna Sittard | 1–4 | Sparta | 
Final
Replay
Sparta would participate in the Cup Winners' Cup, since Ajax finished second in the Eredivisie, already qualifying for the European Cup.
