Central League 2 (New Zealand)

Last updated

Central League 2
Founded2025
First season1970
Folded1999
Country Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Confederation OFC (Oceania)
Number of clubs10
Level on pyramid 3
Promotion to Central League
Relegation to Western Premiership
Eastern Premiership
Capital Premier
Domestic cup Chatham Cup
Last championsFC Western (1st title)
(2025)
Most championshipsFC Western (1 title)
Website Capital Football
Current: 2025 Central League 2

Central League 2 (CL2) is an amateur status league run by Capital Football and Central Football for association football clubs located in the southern and central parts of the North Island. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Central League 2 is a New Zealand tier three competition during the New Zealand winter season, and sits at below the Central League and above the Eastern Premiership, Western Premiership and Capital Premier.

League history

The league started for the 2025 season after being officially announced in 2023. [4] [5]

Clubs of both federations showed support of reintroducing the competition with 85% of Central clubs and 79% of Capital clubs voting in favour of the league. [6] [7]

League format

The league currently comprises 10 teams, who play each other twice in the season on a home-and-away basis and at the conclusion of the season the winner are crowned champions. The bottom side is relegated automatically to their regional league (either Capital Premier or Western and Eastern Premierships), with the top side automatically promoted to the Central League. [8]

Current clubs

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Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2025 Central League 2 season

As of the 2025 season.

TeamHome groundLocation2024 season
Douglas Villa Park Sports Ground Masterton 2nd in Capital One
(promoted via play-offs)
FC Western Lynmouth Park Lynmouth, New Plymouth 3rd in Central Federation League
(promoted via play-offs)
Lower Hutt City Fraser Park Taitā, Lower Hutt 4th in Capital Premier
(promoted via play-offs)
Palmerston North Marist Memorial Park Terrace End, Palmerston North 2nd in Central Federation League
(promoted via play-offs)
Palmerston North United Central Energy Trust Arena Turf Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 1st in Central Federation League
(promoted via play-offs)
Seatoun Seatoun Park Seatoun, Wellington 9th in Capital Premier
(promoted via play-offs)
Stop Out Hutt Park Moera, Lower Hutt 10 in Central League
(relegated)
Taradale Taradale Park Taradale, Napier 4th in Central Federation League
(promoted via play-offs)
Te Kotahitanga Mazengarb Reserve Paraparaumu 10th in Capital Premier
(promoted via play-offs)
Tawa Redwood Park Tawa, Wellington 5th in Capital Premier
(promoted via play-offs)

Past clubs

ClubLast SeasonPositionRecordPromoted club
Te Kotahitanga FC202510th of 10P=18,W=0,D=3,L=15,GD=-56,Pts=3 Wainuiomata AFC, (play-off winner)

Top scorers

The following list is from the 2025 season onwards. New Zealand Football reinstated the Central League second division after disbanding the intial competition at the end of the 1999 season.

From 2025, Central League 2 has again acted as the qualifier league to the Central League.

SeasonTop scorer(s)Club(s)Goals
2025 Flag of New Zealand.svg Anthony JonesPalmerston North United21

Play-offs

2025 Central League 2 (2026) Promotion Play-off Series.

6 September 2025 (2025-09-06)First leg Whanganui Athletic 3–1 Wainuiomata Whanganui
14:45 NZST
  • R. Noon Soccerball shade.svg53'
  • Z. Farmer Soccerball shade.svg83'
  • C. Skea Soccerball shade.svg90+1'
  • J. Joblin–Hall Red card.svg 90+5'
 Report
  • F. McCaul Soccerball shade.svg6'
Stadium: Wembley Park
Referee: Dylan Kawana-Waugh
13 September 2025 (2025-09-13)Second leg Wainuiomata 4–1 Whanganui Athletic Wainuiomata
14:45 NZST
  • B. Taylor Soccerball shade.svg47'
  • C. Skea Soccerball shade.svg49' (o.g.)
  • A. Ross Soccerball shade.svg60' (pen.)
  • J. Brown Soccerball shade.svg79'
 Report
  • R. Noon Soccerball shade.svg90+1'
Stadium: Richard Prouse Park
Referee: Dom Barry

Wainuiomata won 5 – 4 on aggregate and gained promotion to the 2026 Central League 2 competition. They replace Te Kotahitanga relegated to the Capital Premier.

2024 Central League 2 (2025) Play-off Series

Central League 2 play-off
Taradale4–1Victoria University
Massey University, Palmerston North
Central League 2 play-off
Te Kotahitanga1–0 Gisborne Thistle
Massey University, Palmerston North
Central League 2 play-off
Havelock North Wanderers 3–4 (a.e.t.)Douglas Villa
Massey University, Palmerston North
Central League 2 play-off
Seatoun 2–1 New Plymouth Rangers
Massey University, Palmerston North

Taradale, Te Kotahitanga, Seatoun and Douglas Villa qualify for 2025 Central League 2.

Following the collapse of the Central Federation League, Havelock North Wanderers and Gisborne Thistle joined the 2025 Eastern Premiership, New Plymouth Rangers joined the 2025 Western Premiership and Victoria University returned to 2025 Capital Premier.

Records

The following records are from the 2024 season onwards after the re–formation of Central League 2.

Past Champions

  • 2025 – FC Western

References

  1. ↑ "Central League revives second division". Stuff . 17 January 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  2. ↑ "Men's Central League 2 to be introduced in 2025". Central Football. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  3. ↑ "Men's Central League 2 to be introduced in 2025". Capital Football. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "Men's Central League 2 to get underway in 2025". Central Football. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "Move to launch Central League second division boosts interest from clubs". friendsoffootballnz.com. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  6. ↑ "MEN'S CENTRAL LEAGUE 2". Central Football. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "MEN'S CENTRAL LEAGUE 2 | 2025". Capital Football. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "Men's Central League 2". Capital Football. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
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