Northern League (New Zealand)

Last updated

Northern League
New Zealand Northern League.png
Founded1965
Country Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Confederation OFC (Oceania)
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid 2
Feeder to National League
Relegation to NRFL Championship
Current champions Auckland City (3rd title)
(2023)
Most championships Bay Olympic
Takapuna AFC
Central United (4 titles)
TV partners FIFA+ (select games)
Website Northern Region Football
Current: 2024 Northern League

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

Contents

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. The competition was known as the NRFL Premier until 2021, when New Zealand's football league system was restructured. Clubs compete each season to qualify for the New Zealand National League.

History

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.

Football Championship (2004–2021)

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).

National League (2021–)

Auckland City dominance
SeasonChampionsRunners-up
2021 Auckland City Auckland United
2022 Auckland City Birkenhead United
2023 Auckland City Eastern Suburbs
  Oceania Double winners
  Quadruple winners

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]

The first few season were dominated by Auckland City after replacing sister club Central United at the dissolution of the New Zealand Football Championship. [2] Auckland City won the league three consecutive times in their first three seasons. In the 2023 season, Auckland City and Eastern Suburbs completed the season undefeated. [3] [4] This is the first time, since Eastern Suburbs did so in the inaugural 1965 season, and the first time two clubs have done so in the same season. [5]

Current Northern League structure

Sponsors

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

Current

Current clubs

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Auckland
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Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2024 Northern League season
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AC
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AU
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BO
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BU
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EC
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ES
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MR
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WC
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WS
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Location of clubs in Auckland Region for the 2024 Northern League season

As of the 2024 season. [6]

TeamLocationHome ground2023 season
Auckland City Sandringham, Auckland Kiwitea Street 1st
Auckland United Mount Roskill, Auckland Keith Hay Park 3rd
Bay Olympic New Lynn, Auckland Olympic Park10th
Birkenhead United Beach Haven, Auckland Shepherds Park 8th
East Coast Bays Northcross, Auckland Bay City Park 2nd in Championship (promoted)
Eastern Suburbs Kohimarama, Auckland Madills Farm 2nd
Hamilton Wanderers Chartwell, Hamilton Porritt Stadium 6th
Manurewa Manurewa, Auckland Memorial Park4th
Melville United Melville, Hamilton Gower Park 9th
Tauranga City Mount Maunganui, Tauranga Links Avenue1st in Championship (promoted)
West Coast Rangers Whenuapai, Auckland Fred Taylor Park 7th
Western Springs Westmere, Auckland Seddon Fields5th

Past champions

Performance by club

ClubLocationTitlesLast title
Takapuna City Takapuna 41988
Bay Olympic New Lynn 42011
Central United Auckland 42016
Hamilton Wanderers Hamilton 31984
Mount Wellington Auckland 31997
East Coast Bays North Shore 32013
Glenfield Rovers Glenfield 32014
Eastern Suburbs Kohimarama 32015
North Shore United North Shore 32019
Auckland City Sandringham 32023
Papatoetoe Papatoetoe 21991
Mount Maunganui Tauranga 21994
Tauranga City Tauranga 22000
Melville United Melville 22009

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.

Top scorers

The following list is from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Northern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League.

SeasonTop scorer(s)Club(s)Goals
2021 Flag of New Zealand.svg Alex Greive Birkenhead United 19
2022 [7] Flag of Ghana.svg Derek Tieku Hamilton Wanderers 17
2023 Flag of New Zealand.svg Ryan de Vries
Flag of Ghana.svg Derek Tieku 		Auckland City
Hamilton Wanderers 		19

Records

The following records are from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Northern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League. The records are up to date as of the end of the 2023 season.

MVP Winners

SeasonWinner(s)Club(s)
2021 [8] Flag of New Zealand.svg Alex Greive Birkenhead United
2022 [9] Flag of Ghana.svg Derek Tieku Hamilton Wanderers
2023 [10] Flag of Ghana.svg Derek Tieku Hamilton Wanderers

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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. ↑ "Football: Auckland City FC find way to survive New Zealand club football restructure". Newshub. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "Unbeaten Auckland City wrap up three-peat of Northern League titles". friendsoffootballnz.com. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Men's National League regional winners and Championship qualifiers confirmed". New Zealand Football. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Unbeaten Seasons". ultimatenzsoccer.com. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Northern Region Football – Home".
  7. ↑ "2022 Northern League Top Scorers". New Zealand Football instagram. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  8. ↑ "Goal-filled final weekend in the South Central Series as Miramar Rangers (men) and Southern United (women) crowned winners". NZFootball.co.nz. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  9. ↑ "Congratulations to the winners of the MVP awards in the Northern, Central and Southern Leagues #NZNationalLeague". New Zealand Football Instagram. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  10. ↑ "National League MVPs and Golden Boot winners named". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
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