Zone Football League

Last updated

Zone Football League
Zone Football League.png
Organising bodyNewcastle Football
Macquarie Football
Hunter Valley Football
Founded2024
2011–2023 (as NNSW Zone League)
pre-2010 (as NNSW Interdistrict Division One)
CountryAustralia
Divisions3
Number of clubs35
Division One: 12
Division Two: 12
Division Three: 11
Level on pyramid 4–6
Promotion to Northern League One
Domestic cup(s)National
Australia Cup
State
NNSW State Cup
Current championsZL1 Newcastle Croatia

ZL2 Croudace Bay

ZL3 Greta Branxton
(2025)
Current premiersZL1 Newcastle Croatia

ZL2 Croudace Bay

ZL3 Greta Branxton
(2025)
Website northernnswfootball.com.au/zone-football-league

The Zone Football League is an Australian amateur soccer league based in Northern New South Wales administered jointly by Newcastle Football, Macquarie Football and Hunter Valley Football; sub-federations respectively of Northern NSW Football. The league is the third tier of football in the NNSWF. First division was known NNSW Interdistrict Division One prior to 2011, NNSW Zone Football Premier League (2011–2023) and renamed Zone Football League in 2024.

Contents

Covering almost 33,000 square kilometres, across more than 10 Local Government Areas, football clubs are scattered across the Hunter Region. [1]

History

Graded Interdistrict competitions have survived alongside the 2 Premier Divisions of local Northern NSW Football for decades.

The 2011 season commenced with 10 teams Cardiff City, Cooks Hill United, Dudley Redhead, Mayfield, Morisset, New Lambton, Swansea, Thornton Park and University in the 1st division competition.

After the 2011 season, Thornton Park (now Thornton Redbacks FC) were elected for promotion to NSW State League Division 1, Kahibah was relegated with Warners Bay and Plattsburg Maryland taking their places in 2012.

The competition briefly dropped to a 7 team competition in 2020, before resuming to a 10 team competition. 2023 saw the expansion of the Zone League 1 from 10 to 12 teams among a greater restructure of the Zone Football Leagues.

From 2024 there will be promotion and relegation between NNSW State League Division 1 and Zone Football League 1 and promotion and relegation between all Zone Leagues.

In 2025 expressions of interest were sought for a women's Zone Football League to be established. [2]

Format

Teams have a first grade side, reserve grade side and third grade side. The regular season takes place, with each team playing each other once at home and once away. The team that finishes first at the end of the regular season is crowned premiers and promoted, the team who finishes last are relegated.

The top four teams contest the Finals Series. For the semi-finals, 1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd. The winner of each semi-final progresses straight to the Grand Final where the winner of that game is crowned champions.

Clubs

The following clubs will compete in the Zone Football League for the 2025 season.

Division One

ClubNickname(s)FoundedLGAGroundLocation
Cardiff CityTigersLake MacquarieEvans ParkCardiff
Hamilton AzzurriSky Blues1963NewcastleHeaton ParkJesmond
Kotara SouthTigersNewcastleNesbitt ParkKotara
Mayfield United STigers1922NewcastleMayfield ParkMayfield
Newcastle OlympicWarriors1976NewcastleIslington OvalIslington
Newcastle SunsSuns1997NewcastleMyers ParkBroadmeadow
Newcatle Croatia 1984NewcastlePasadena Crescent ReserveBeresfield
StocktonSharksNewcastleCorroba OvalStockton
SwanseaSwans1950Lake MacquarieChapman OvalSwansea
University of NewcastleThe Students1962NewcastleRay Watt OvalCallaghan
Warners BayPanthersLake MacquarieJohn Street OvalWarners Bay
WestlakesWildcats1963Lake MacquarieFishburn FieldRathmines

Italics indicate the club has a team in a higher division.

Division Two

ClubNickname(s)FoundedLGAGroundLocation
Bolwarra LornBushrangers1974MaitlandBolwarra OvalBolwarra
Cooks Hill UnitedCookers1997NewcastleNational ParkNewcastle West
Croudace Bay UnitedCrabs2023Lake MacquarieBaxter FieldMarks Point
Mayfield United JFCTigers1944NewcastleStevenson ParkMayfield West
Lambton Jaffas JuniorsJaffas1957NewcastleHarry Edwards OvalLambton
Merewether AdvanceRoosters1894NewcastleJesmond ParkJesmond
MinmiWanderers1884NewcastleMinmi FieldMinmi
New Lambton JuniorsGolden EaglesNewcastleNovocastrian ParkNew Lambton
North UnitedWolves2000MaitlandLorn ParkLorn
South MaitlandPhoenix2021MaitlandRobins OvalSouth Maitland
Southern UnitedOspreys2022Mid CoastBoronia ParkForster
Nelson BayMarlinsPort StephensTomaree Sports ComplexNelson Bay

Division Three

ClubNickname(s)FoundedLGAGroundLocation
Barnsley UnitedBulldogs1962Lake MacquarieTaylor ParkBarnsley
BellbirdBombersCessnockCarmichael ParkBellbird
CharlestownHammers1900Lake MacquarieCharlestown OvalCharlestown
FletcherSaintsNewcastleFederal ParkWallsend
Garden SuburbKingfishers1964Lake MacquarieLance York OvalGarden Suburb
Greta BranxtonWildcatsCessnockMiller ParkEast Branxton
Kurri KurriRoosters1904CessnockBiralee OvalKurri Kurri
MedowieBees1979Port StephensYulong OvalMedowie
Merewether UnitedSea Eagles1953NewcastleMyamblah CrescentMerewether
RutherfordDragons1967MaitlandNorm Chapman OvalRutherford
Southern Lakes UnitedHurricanes2011Lake MacquarieCooranbong Sports ComplxCooranbong
Greater Newcastle locator map.svg
ButtonYellow.svg
Cardiff City
ButtonYellow.svg
Hamilton Azzurri
ButtonYellow.svg
Kotara South
ButtonYellow.svg
Mayfield United
ButtonYellow.svg
Newcastle Croatia
ButtonYellow.svg
Newcastle Olympic
ButtonYellow.svg
Newcastle Suns
ButtonYellow.svg
Stockton Sharks
ButtonYellow.svg
Swansea
ButtonYellow.svg
University of Newcastle
ButtonYellow.svg
Warners Bay
ButtonYellow.svg
Westlakes Wildcats
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Bolwarra Lorn
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Cooks Hill United
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Croudace Bay
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Lambton Jaffas
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Mayfield United Junior
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Merewether Advance
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Minmi Wanderers
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Nelson Bay
ButtonLightBlue.svg
New Lambton Junior
ButtonLightBlue.svg
North United Wolves
ButtonLightBlue.svg
South Maitland
ButtonLightBlue.svg
Southern United
ButtonRed.svg
Barnsley United
ButtonRed.svg
Bellbird
ButtonRed.svg
Charlestown
ButtonRed.svg
Fletcher
ButtonRed.svg
Garden Suburb
ButtonRed.svg
Greta Branxton
ButtonRed.svg
Kurri Kurri
ButtonRed.svg
Medowie
ButtonRed.svg
Merewether United
ButtonRed.svg
Rutherford
ButtonRed.svg
Southern Lakes United
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2025 Zone Football League clubs by division
ButtonYellow.svg – Division 1 ButtonLightBlue.svg – Division 2 ButtonRed.svg – Division 3

Winners

2012–2023

In 2012, two more divisions were added. In 2023, the third division was removed.

2024–present

In 2024, the Newcastle Zone League renamed its league and divisions: the Premier Division became Zone League One, Division One became Zone League Two, and Division Two became Zone League Three.

PremiersChampions
SeasonZL1ZL2ZL3ZL1ZL2ZL3
2025Newcastle CroatiaCroudace Bay UtdGreta BranxtonNewcastle CroatiaCroudace Bay UtdGreta Branxton
2024Dudley UnitedNewcastle CroatiaLambton Jaffas JrsNewcastle SunsNewcastle CroatiaNelson Bay

Past seasons

Source: [3]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Zone Football League | Northern NSW Football". northernnswfootball.com.au. 23 January 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "Hunter, Rt Rev. Barry Russell, (15 Aug. 1927–28 July 2015), Bishop of Riverina, 1971–92; permission to officiate, diocese of Newcastle, NSW, 1996–2001, diocese of Armidale, NSW, since 2001", Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007, retrieved 6 November 2025
  3. ↑ Teams Zone Leagues post-2015
  4. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2022 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 22 January 2023.
  5. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2021 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 22 January 2023.
  6. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2020 Zone Premier League Results (affected by COVID-19)", "". Retrieved on 22 January 2023.
  7. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2019 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 22 January 2023.
  8. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2018 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 22 January 2023.
  9. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2017 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 22 January 2023.
  10. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2016 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 22 January 2023.
  11. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2015 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 22 January 2023.
  12. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2014 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 20 November 2014.
  13. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2013 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 30 July 2014.
  14. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2012 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 4 July 2013.
  15. ↑ State League Football in Australia "2011 Zone Premier League Results", "". Retrieved on 4 July 2013.

References

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