Central League (New Zealand)

The Central League is an amateur status league competition run by Capital Football for Association football clubs located in the southern and central parts of the North Island, New Zealand. From 2021 it is at the second level of New Zealand Football below the National League, which has replaced the national association based ISPS Handa Premiership.

Central League
Country New Zealand
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid2
Feeder toNational League
Relegation toCentral Federation League
Capital Premier
Current championsWellington Olympic (3rd title)
(2021)
Most championshipsWestern Suburbs FC and Miramar Rangers (7)
WebsiteCapital Football
Current: 2021 Central League

League history

The premier league was initially set up as one of the three feeder leagues to the New Zealand National Soccer League in 1992, and continued in this form until being disbanded at the end of the 1999 season. The league was reinstated in 2005 as the top club league for the central region of New Zealand football,[1] and the current strength of the league is demonstrated by it providing the past Chatham Cup winners in 2009 (Wellington Olympic), 2010 (Miramar Rangers), 2011 (Wairarapa United) and 2015 (Napier City Rovers).[2]

Renaming and restructuring of leagues in the country

In March 2021, New Zealand Football announced a change to the structure of both the premiership and the top regional leagues around the country. The four top regional leagues (NRFL Premier, Central Premier League, Mainland Premier League and the FootballSouth Premier League) would be formed into the Northern League, Central League, and the Southern League. These leagues would allow local clubs to qualify for the premiership season (now known as the National League Championship), with the top 4 teams from the Northern League, the top 3 teams from the Central League, and the top 2 teams from the Southern League making up the competition, alongside the Wellington Phoenix Reserve side. All teams that qualify plus the Phoenix Reserves, would then play a single round-robin competition between September and December.[3]

League format

The league currently comprises 10 teams, who play each other twice in the season on a home-and-away basis. At the conclusion of the season the winner are crowned champions and with the next two sides proceed to the National League. The bottom side is relegated automatically to their regional league (either Capital Premier or the Federation League), with the top eligible sides from each of those leagues playing a two-legged playoff for promotion.

Current clubs
Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2021 Central League season

As of the 2021 season.[4][5]

Club Location Home Ground(s)
Lower Hutt City Lower Hutt Fraser Park
Miramar Rangers Miramar, Wellington David Farrington Park
Napier City Rovers Napier Bluewater Stadium
North Wellington Wellington Alex Moore Park
Petone Petone, Lower Hutt Memorial Park
Wainuiomata Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt Richard Prouse Park
Wairarapa United Masterton Memorial Park Turf
Waterside Karori Karori, Wellington Karori Park
Wellington Olympic Wellington Wakefield Park
Western Suburbs Porirua, Wellington Endeavour Park


Past clubs
As of 8 July 2020
Club Location Home Ground(s) Last Played Promoted Club
Wainuiomata Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt Richard Prouse Park 2021[6] Havelock North
Stop Out Moera, Lower Hutt Hutt Park 2020[7] Wainuiomata
Wellington United Wellington Newtown Park 2019[8] Petone
Palmerston North Marist Palmerston North Central Energy Trust Arena 2017[9] Waterside Karori
Team Taranaki New Plymouth Yarrow Stadium 2017[10] Havelock North
Tawa Tawa, Wellington Redwood Park 2015[11] Wellington United
Upper Hutt City Upper Hutt Maidstone Park 2014[12] Stop Out
Maycenvale United Hastings Hastings Sports Park 2012[13] Upper Hutt City
Gisborne City Gisborne Childers Road Reserve 2007[14] Withdrew end of season 2007. Replaced by Team Taranaki
Red Sox Manawatu Palmerston North Central Energy Trust Arena 2006[15] Team Taranaki
Raumati Hearts Raumati, Kapiti Coast Weka Park 1999[16] League disbanded
Western Rangers FC Hastings St Leonard's Park 1999[17] League disbanded
Manawatu AFC Palmerston North Skoglund Park 1998[18] Promoted to the 1999 New Zealand island soccer leagues.
Wanganui East Athletic Wanganui Wembley Park 1997[19] Waterside Karori
New Plymouth City New Plymouth Marfell Park 1996[20] NP City becomes Mt. Taranaki. Placed in Division One for 1997. Folded at season's end.
Seatoun Seatoun, Wellington Seatoun Park 1996[21] Placed in Division One for 1997, withdrew from Central League in 1998.
Stokes Valley Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt Delaney Park 1996[22] Withdrew from Central League at end of season
Tararua United Upper Hutt Harcourt Park 1996[23] Placed in Division One for 1997, merged in 1998 to become Upper Hutt City Soccer
Moturoa New Plymouth Onuku Taipari Domain 1994[24] Napier City Rovers

Records

Past Champions
Source: [1]

References
  1. Ruane, Jeremy. "Honours Board". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  2. "Chatham Cup". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  3. "New National League competition details confirmed". New Zealand Football. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  4. "2021 Northern and Central League Player Lists". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  5. "National League kicks off this weekend". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  6. Ruane, Jeremy. "2021 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  7. Ruane, Jeremy. "2020 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  8. Ruane, Jeremy. "2019 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  9. Ruane, Jeremy. "2017 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  10. Pilott, Roy (2 March 2018). "Taranaki's premier football team hangs up its boot". Stuff. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  11. Ruane, Jeremy. "2015 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  12. Ruane, Jeremy. "2014 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  13. Ruane, Jeremy. "2012 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  14. Ruane, Jeremy. "2007 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  15. Ruane, Jeremy. "2006 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  16. Ruane, Jeremy. "1999 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  17. Ruane, Jeremy. "1999 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  18. Ruane, Jeremy. "1998 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  19. Ruane, Jeremy. "1997 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  20. Ruane, Jeremy. "1996 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ulimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  21. Ruane, Jeremy. "1996 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  22. Ruane, Jeremy. "1996 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  23. "1996 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  24. Ruane, Jeremy. "1994 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
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