Northern League (New Zealand)

The Northern League is a semi-professional New Zealand association football competition. It is a top-tier competition during the winter season, and sits at step two overall.

Northern League
Founded1965
Country New Zealand
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid2
Feeder toNational League
Relegation toNRFL Division 1
Current championsAuckland City (1st title)
(2021)
Most championshipsBay Olympic, Takapuna AFC, Central United (4 titles)
WebsiteAuckland Football Federation
Current: 2021 Northern League

The Northern League includes football clubs located in the northern part of the North Island from the Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. Beginning 2021, clubs will be able to compete for promotion into the New Zealand National League for the first time since 2004.

History
See also: Association football in New Zealand

The first four years (1965–1969)

In the years 1965–1969, before the launch of a National Soccer League, the Northern League was the highest level competition available to the clubs in the northern region. When the National Soccer League was created in 1970, the Northern League became one of its feeder leagues.

In 1997 and 1998, when the National Soccer League operated as an invitation-only summer league, the Northern League again became the highest level club competition available to the clubs from the northern provinces.

Present day

With the demise of the club-based National Soccer League in 2004, the Northern League, now known as Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Men's Premier, became part of the highest level of football league competition in New Zealand for the third time in its history. The league runs between the New Zealand autumn and winter months (April to September), while the New Zealand Football Championship runs between the New Zealand spring and summer months (October to March).

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.[1]

Current Northern League structure

Sponsors

The following list is of the official sponsors of the League, unless otherwise noted.

Current

Current clubs
Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2021 Northern League season
Location of clubs in Auckland Region for the 2021 Northern League season

As of the 2021 season.[2]

Team Location Stadium Notes
Auckland City Sandringham, Auckland Kiwitea Street Replaces sister club Central United F.C. for 2021 season
Auckland United Mount Roskill, Auckland Keith Hay Park Merger between Onehunga Sports and Three Kings United
Bay Olympic New Lynn, Auckland Olympic Park 2nd in 2019 NRFL Division 1; promoted
Birkenhead United Birkenhead, Auckland Shepherds Park
Eastern Suburbs Kohimarama, Auckland Madills Farm
Hamilton Wanderers Chartwell, Hamilton Porritt Stadium
Manukau United Māngere East, Auckland Centre Park
Melville United Melville, Hamilton Gower Park
North Shore United Devonport, Auckland Allen Hill Stadium
Northern Rovers Glenfield, Auckland McFetridge Park Merger between Glenfield Rovers AFC and Forrest Hill Milford United AFC
West Coast Rangers Whenuapai, Auckland Fred Taylor Park Merger between Waitakere City FC and Norwest United ahead of 2021 season
Western Springs Westmere, Auckland Seddon Fields

Past champions

Performance by club
Club Location Titles Last Title
Bay OlympicNew Lynn42011
Central UnitedAuckland42016
Takapuna CityTakapuna41988
Glenfield RoversGlenfield32014
East Coast BaysNorth Shore32013
Mount WellingtonAuckland31997
Hamilton WanderersHamilton31984
Eastern SuburbsKohimarama32015
North Shore UnitedNorth Shore32019
Melville UnitedMelville22009
Tauranga CityTauranga22000
Mount MaunganuiTauranga21994
PapatoetoePapatoetoe21991

Notable players

This list consists of past or present notable players that have either represented an international team, or made more than fifty appearances at a professional level in their careers.

References
  1. "New National League competition details confirmed". New Zealand Football. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  2. http://www.aucklandfootball.org.nz/lottonrfl/Results-Fixtures
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