The Central Federation League is an amateur status league competition run by Central Football for association football clubs located in the central region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is currently in the third level of the New Zealand football league system, below the Central League administered by Capital Football and is entered by clubs from the Taranaki, Manawatū-Whanganui, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne districts.
Founded | 2000 |
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Country | New Zealand |
Confederation | OFC (Oceania) |
Number of teams | 9 |
Level on pyramid | 3 |
Promotion to | Central League 2 |
Relegation to | Taranaki Premiership Pacific Premiership Horizon's Premiership |
Domestic cup(s) | Chatham Cup |
League cup(s) | Central Federation Cup Central Federation League Cup |
Current champions | Palmerston North United (1st title) (2024) |
Most championships | Havelock North Wanderers Napier City Rovers Palmerston North Marist Team Taranaki (3 titles each) |
Website | https://www.centralfootball.co.nz/ |
The league was launched in 2000 and began within the second tier of the New Zealand league system as a replacement for the disbanded triple division Central League, which had run in various forms since 1966. [1]
As of the 2024 season. [2]
Club | Location | Home Ground(s) | 2023 season |
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FC Western | New Plymouth | Lynmouth Park | 2nd in Taranaki Premiership (new entry) |
Gisborne Thistle | Gisborne | Childers Road Reserve | 4th |
Havelock North Wanderers | Havelock North | Guthrie Park | 2nd in Pacific Premiership (new entry) |
New Plymouth Rangers | New Plymouth | Merrilands Domain | 3rd in Taranaki Premiership (new entry) |
Palmerston North Marist | Palmerston North | Central Energy Trust Arena Turf | 1st |
Palmerston North United | Palmerston North | Memorial Park | 2nd |
Peringa United | New Plymouth | Peringa Park | 1st in Taranaki Premiership (new entry) |
Taradale | Napier | Taradale Park | 5th |
Whanganui Athletic | Wembley Park | Whanganui | 10th in Central League (relegated) |
Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
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Palmerston North United | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 40 | 36 | ||
Palmerston North Marist | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 33 | ||
FC Western | 16 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 31 | ||
Taradale | 16 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 28 | ||
Havelock North Wanderers | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 25 | ||
Gisborne Thistle | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | -20 | 22 | ||
New Plymouth Rangers | 16 | 6 | 1 | 9 | -6 | 19 | ||
Whanganui Athletic | 16 | 3 | 1 | 12 | -18 | 10 | ||
Peringa United | 16 | 2 | 1 | 13 | -33 | 7 | ||
The 2024 season saw the league increase the number of clubs from five to nine. Whanganui Athletic, relegated from the 2023 Central League, joined a trio of clubs from New Plymouth including; 2023 Taranaki Premiership champions Peringa United, FC Western (both new entrants to the league), and the returning New Plymouth Rangers. Havelock North Wanderers rejoined the league from the Pacific Premiership while Napier City Rovers reserves withdrew before the 2024 season commenced.
Palmerston North United | 1–2 | Upper Hutt City FC |
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Upper Hutt City FC | 2–1 | Palmerston North United |
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Upper Hutt City win 4 - 2 on aggregate and promotion to the 2025 Central League Premier Division.
Taradale | 4 - 1 | Victoria University |
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Te Kotahitanga | 1 - 0 | Gisborne Thistle |
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Havelock North Wanderers | 3 - 4 (a.e.t.) | Douglas Villa |
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Seatoun | 2 - 1 | New Plymouth Rangers |
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Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
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Palmerston North Marist | 16 | 10 | 1 | 5 | ||||
Palmerston North United | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | ||||
Napier City Rovers Reserves | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | ||||
Gisborne Thistle | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | ||||
Taradale | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | ||||
Prior to the commencement of the 2023 season, a merger of three Palmerston North clubs; Massey University FC, North End and Red Sox Manawatu created new entity, Palmerston North United. Palmerston North United replaced North End and Massey University in the league.
Napier Marist FC and Levin AFC withdrew from the league before the 2023 competition began reducing the number of clubs participating to five.
Island Bay United | 4–0 | Palmerston North Marist |
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Palmerston North Marist | 0–3 | Island Bay United |
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Island Bay United win 7 - 0 on aggregate and promotion to the 2024 Central League.
Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
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Whanganui Athletic | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 7 | +41 | 38 |
Palmerston North Marist | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 39 | 12 | +27 | 32 |
North End | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 37 | 14 | +23 | 29 |
Massey University | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 30 | -3 | 22 |
Napier Marist | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 25 | 41 | -16 | 19 |
Napier City Rovers | 14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 27 | 36 | -9 | 15 |
Levin | 14 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 43 | -31 | 4 |
Gisborne Thistle | 14 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 44 | -32 | 4 |
Whanganui Athletic | 2–2 | Stop Out |
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Stop Out | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Whanganui Athletic |
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Aggregate score 5–4. Stop Out promoted to the 2022 Central League. In late 2022 Whanganui Athletic were also promoted to the 2023 Central League after the withdrawal of Wellington United from the competition. [4]
Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
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Havelock North Wanderers | 16 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 16 | +39 | 40 |
Palmerston North Marist | 16 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 62 | 26 | +36 | 34 |
Whanganui Athletic | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 38 | 23 | +15 | 30 |
Gisborne Thistle | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 43 | 32 | 11 | 30 |
Massey University | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 40 | 31 | 9 | 28 |
North End | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 35 | 36 | -1 | 22 |
Napier Marist | 16 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 25 | 57 | -32 | 10 |
Levin | 16 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 15 | 45 | -30 | 8 |
New Plymouth Rangers | 16 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 15 | 62 | -47 | 7 |
Wellington United | 5–3 | Havelock North Wanderers |
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Havelock North Wanderers | 3–1 | Wellington United |
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| I. Junca 49' |
Aggregate score 6–6. Havelock North Wanderers win tie on away goal rule and are promoted to the 2022 Central League.
Note - Wairarapa United withdrew from the 2022 Central League prior to the start of the season and were subsequently replaced by Wellington United. [5]
New Plymouth Rangers | 3 - 5 | Wainuiomata |
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| Report |
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Wainuiomata | 7–3 | New Plymouth Rangers |
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Aggregate score 12 - 6. Wainuiomata are promoted to the 2021 Central League.
Petone won 6 - 5 on aggregate and promotion to the 2020 Central League.
North Wellington | 6–0 | Palmerston North Marist |
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Palmerston North Marist | 0–6 | North Wellington |
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North Wellington won 12 - 0 on aggregate and promotion to the 2019 Central League.
Havelock North Wanderers | 1–2 | Waterside Karori |
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Waterside Karori won promotion on away goal rule to 2018 Central League.
Team Taranaki won on away goals rule and promotion to the 2017 Central League.
Club | Location | Home Ground(s) | Last Season |
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Gisborne City | Gisborne | Childers Road Reserve | 2003 - merged as Gisborne City Marist |
Moturoa AFC | New Plymouth | Onuku Taipari Domain | 2003 - league position given to Team Taranaki |
Gisborne City Marist | Gisborne | Childers Road Reserve | 2004 - withdrew |
Manawatu AFC | Palmerston North | 2004 (amalgamated) | |
Red Sox Riverside | Palmerston North | 2004 (amalgamated) | |
Linton Area Defence FC | Palmerston North | Linton Military Camp | 2005 - withdrew |
Napier City Rovers | Napier | Bluewater Stadium | 2010 - withdrew to Pacific Premiership |
Feilding United | Manawatu | Timona Park | 2015 - withdrew |
Team Taranaki | New Plymouth | Yarrow Stadium | 2016 - promoted to 2017 Central League |
Port Hill United | Napier | Marewa Park | 2016 - withdrew |
Wanganui City FC | Whanganui | Wembley Park | 2019 - withdrew |
Palmerston North Boys' High School | Palmerston North | High School Ground | 2019 - relegated |
Hokowhitu FC | Palmerston North | Hokowhitu Park | 2019 - withdrew |
Red Sox Manawatu | Palmerston North | 2020 - withdrew | |
Levin | Levin | Donnelly Park | 2022 - withdrew |
Napier Marist | Napier | Bluewater Stadium | 2022 - withdrew |
North End | Palmerston North | Memorial Park | 2022 - merged as Palmerston North United |
Massey University | Palmerston North | Massey University | 2022 - merged as Palmerston North United |
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