It began in August 2011 with the first matches of the season and ended in June 2012 with the nacompetitie, a promotion-and-relegation tournament also involving the 16th- and 17th-placed teams from the 2011–12 Eredivisie.
[2] On 1 March 2012, the Dutch football federation confirmed that no team would be relegated from the league at the end of the season, after all the 2011–12 Topklasse teams had decided against being eligible for promotion to the Eerste Divisie.
Willem II were relegated as bottom-placed team in the 2010–11 Eredivisie, whereas FC Oss were promoted as 2010–11 Topklasse runners-up, as champions IJsselmeervogels opted to keep playing at amateur level instead.
Following the disbandment and consequent exclusion of RBC Roosendaal in June 2011, last-placed 2010–11 Eerste Divisie club Almere City FC were readmitted in the league to fill the vacancy.
[4] VVV-Venlo and De Graafschap joined the Eerste Divisie-teams for the playoffs, after finishing 16th and 17th in the Eredivisie.