Founded | 2021 |
---|---|
Country | New Zealand |
Confederation | OFC (Oceania) |
Number of teams | 10 |
Level on pyramid | 2 |
Feeder to | National League |
Relegation to | Canterbury Premiership Nelson Bays Premiership Southern Premiership |
Domestic cup(s) | Chatham Cup |
Current champions | Cashmere Technical (2nd title) (2024) |
Most championships | Cashmere Technical Christchurch United (2 titles each) |
TV partners | FIFA+ (select games) |
Website | Mainland Football |
Current: 2024 Southern League |
The Southern League is an amateur status league competition run by Southern Football and Mainland Football for Association football clubs located in the South Island of New Zealand. It is at the second level of New Zealand Football behind the national association based New Zealand National League, and the highest level of club based football available to teams within the region.
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] For the Southern League, the two existing competitions run in the South Island (Mainland Premier League and FootballSouth Premier League) play their original league seasons for the teams to then qualify for a place in the newly formed competition. [2] Five teams from Mainland Premiership, which covers the top of the South Island to Christchurch and three teams from FootballSouth Premier League, covering from below Christchurch to the bottom of the South Island, will qualify. [2] The competition will start on the 17 July 2021. [2]
As of 2025 season [3]
Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
---|---|---|---|
Cashmere Technical | Garrick Memorial Park | Woolston, Christchurch | 1st |
Christchurch United | United Sports Centre | Spreydon, Christchurch | 3rd |
Coastal Spirit | Linfield Park | Linwood, Christchurch | 2nd |
Dunedin City Royals | Football Turf | Dunedin North, Dunedin | 7th |
Ferrymead Bays | Ferrymead Park | Ferrymead, Christchurch | 5th |
Nelson Suburbs | Saxton Field | Stoke, Nelson | 4th |
Nomads United | Tulett Park | Casebrook, Christchurch | 6th |
Selwyn United | Foster Park | Rolleston | 8th |
University of Canterbury | Ilam Fields | Ilam, Christchurch | 9th |
Wanaka | Wānaka Recreation Centre | Wanaka | 2nd in Southern Premier League (promoted via play-offs) |
As of 2025 season
Season | Relegated Club | Home Ground | Location | Promoted Club (Next Season) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Otago University | Football Turf | Dunedin North, Dunedin | Ferrymead Bays Mosgiel Nomads United |
2022 | Mosgiel | Memorial Park Ground | Mosgiel | FC Twenty 11 |
2023 | Green Island | Sunnyvale Park | Green Island, Dunedin | University of Canterbury |
2024 | FC Twenty 11 | Avonhead Park | Avonhead, Christchurch | Wanaka |
The following lists are from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Southern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League.
Top Scorers
| MVP Winners
|
The following records are from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Southern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League. Any records form 2021 season are noted. The records are up to date as of the 2024 season.
Note: Number of times club placed in placement, (only for clubs with multiple placements)
Club | Location | Titles | Runners Up | Title Seasons | Runners Up Seasons |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cashmere Technical | Woolston, Christchurch | 2 | 2 | 2021, 2024 | 2022, 2023 |
Christchurch United | Spreydon, Christchurch | 2 | — | 2022, 2023 | — |
Selwyn United | Rolleston | — | 1 | — | 2021 |
Coastal Spirit | Linwood, Christchurch | — | 1 | — | 2024 |
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.
Christchurch United Football Club is an association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in various Mainland Football competitions at Junior and Senior level. The club has won six National League titles and seven Chatham Cup trophies. Christchurch United are the current Southern League champions, Chatham Cup champions and English Cup champions.
Ferrymead Bays is a semi-professional association football club based in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Mainland Premier League and they have won the league title on five occasions. Ferrymead Bays FC play their home games at Ferrymead Park in Ferrymead and Barnett Park in Redcliffs, Christchurch.
The Central League is an amateur status league run by Capital Football for association football clubs located in the southern and central parts of the North Island. It is a New Zealand top-tier competition during the winter season, and sits at step two overall under the summer National League.
The Canterbury Premiership League, formally Mainland Premier League and also known as New World Canterbury Premiership League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition run by Mainland Football for association football clubs located in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is at the third tier of New Zealand Football, below the Southern Leagues and above the Canterbury Championship League.
Coastal Spirit FC is an association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand and are a part of Mainland Football's federation. Their Premier Men's team currently competes in the Southern League. Their Premier Women's team competes in the Women's South Island League and were the 2013 National Knockout Cup winners.
Cashmere Technical is an association football club based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was formed in early 2012 from the merger of two of the city's premier teams, Cashmere Wanderers and Woolston Technical. The two clubs had agreed to work together in early 2011, and the 2011 Christchurch earthquake which devastated their home city and resulted in the loss of many playing facilities hastened their merger into a combined side.
The New Zealand Men's National League is a men's football league at the top of the New Zealand football league system. Founded in 2021, the New Zealand National League is the successor to the New Zealand Football Championship. The league is contested by ten teams, with teams qualifying from their regional leagues. Four teams qualify from the Northern League, three qualify from the Central League, two qualify from the newly formed Southern League and the Wellington Phoenix Reserves are automatically given a spot each year.
The 2021 New Zealand National League was the first scheduled season of the National League since its restructuring in 2021. 30 clubs competed in the competition, with four having been planned to qualify from the Northern League, three qualifying from the Central League and two qualifying from the Southern League for the National Championship phase along with the automatically qualified Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Each team was allowed to field a maximum of four foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality. Each team had to also have at least two players aged 20 or under in the starting eleven.
The 2021 Chatham Cup is New Zealand's 93rd annual knockout football competition. It had a preliminary round and four rounds proper before quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final.
The 2022 New Zealand Men's National League is the second scheduled season of the National League since its restructuring in 2021; the 2021 National League was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in northern regions. 32 clubs compete in the competition, with four qualifying from the Northern League, three qualifying from the Central League and two qualifying from the Southern League for the National Championship phase. Each team can field a maximum of four foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality. Each team must also have at least two players aged 20 or under in the starting eleven.
The 2022 Chatham Cup is New Zealand's 94th annual knockout football competition.
The 2022 Kate Sheppard Cup was New Zealand's women's 28th annual knockout football competition. This was the fifth year that the competition is known by the Kate Sheppard Cup, or New Zealand Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup for sponsorship purposes, after previously been known as the Women's Knockout Cup since its establishment. The cup has had thirteen different winners lift the trophy over its 28-year history with Lynn-Avon United from Auckland being the most successful and Wellington United being the current holders from the 2021 season.
The 2023 New Zealand Men's National League was the third season of the National League since its restructuring in 2021. 32 clubs compete in the competition, with four qualifying from the Northern League, three qualifying from the Central League and two qualifying from the Southern League for the National Championship phase. Each team can field a maximum of four foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality. Over the course of the season, each team must also ensure players aged 20 or under account for 10% of available playing minutes.
The Women's South Island League is an amateur status league competition run by Southern Football and Mainland Football for Association football clubs located in the South Island of New Zealand. It is at the second level of New Zealand Football behind the national association based New Zealand Women's National League, and the highest level of club based football available to teams within the region.
The 2023 Women's South Island League, is the 2nd season of the 2nd level women's football in New Zealand and the 1st season under the name Women's South Island League.
The 2024 New Zealand Men's National League is the fourth season of the National League since its restructuring in 2021. 32 clubs compete in the competition, with four qualifying from the Northern League, three qualifying from the Central League and two qualifying from the Southern League for the National Championship phase. Each team can field a maximum of four foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality. Over the course of the season, each team must also ensure players aged 20 or under account for 10% of available playing minutes.
The 2024 Mainland Football Leagues is the 25th season of football in the Mainland Football federation. There are four main men's leagues and four main women's leagues. The main men's leagues are: Southern League, Canterbury Premiership League, Nelson Bays Premiership League, and Canterbury Championship League, respectively tier 2, 3, 3 and 4 among New Zealand men's league system. The main women's leagues are: South Island League, Canterbury Women's Premiership League, Nelson Bays Women's Premiership League, and Canterbury Women's Championship League, respectively tier 2, 3, 3 and 4 among New Zealand women's league system.
The 2024 Women's South Island League is the third season of the second level of women's football in New Zealand, and the second season under the name Women's South Island League.
The Canterbury Championship League, also known as New World Canterbury Championship League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition run by Mainland Football for association football clubs located in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is at the fourth tier of New Zealand Football, below the Canterbury Premiership League and above the Canterbury Senior Men's Division 1.