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The 2021 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, for sponsorship reasons also known as the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited National Soccer League,[1] is the 15th edition of the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, the top-tier football league in Papua New Guinea. The league started on 24 July.
| Season | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Dates | July 24 – TBA |
← 2019–20 2022–23 → | |
The defending champions are Lae City, who won their sixth consecutive title with a 1–0 victory over Vitiaz United in the previous season's Grand Final.[2]
After initially deciding the league format would be the same as the previous season – one national league consisting of ten teams[3][4] – the Papua New Guinea Football Association and NSL board eventually reverted to a format that they had previously used in the 2015–16 season, splitting the league into two regional divisions, a Northern Conference and a Southern Conference, each with seven teams.[5][6]
Seven clubs returned from the previous season: six-time reigning champions Lae City, eight-time champions Hekari United, fourth-placed side Komara Gulf, Morobe United, Morobe Wawens, Star Mountain and Tusbab Stallions. Grand Final runners-up Vitiaz United withdrew, citing financial difficulties.[7] Kutubu and Bougainville also withdrew from the league. A phoenix side, Lae City Dwellers, led by sacked Lae City FC coach Peter Gunemba, announced their return to the league in May 2021,[8] although there was an element of confusion as to which of the two sides had the right to claim the franchise's previous titles.[9] There were returns to the league for Tavur FC (also known as WNB Tavur), Sepik FC, and Port Moresby Strikers (also known as Southern Strikers), while Central Dabari FC was a late acceptance into the league.[10] There was also room for two development sides in each of the conferences.
| Northern Conference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | Previous best | Other honours |
| Lae City FC | 2015–20: Champions (6x) | 2018, 2019 OFC Champions League: Quarter-finalists |
| Morobe United | 2009–10: Runners-up | 1998 National Club Championship: Runners-up
2001, 2005 Lae Regional Championship: Champions |
| Morobe Wawens | 2018: 3rd | None |
| Tusbab Stallions | 2019–20: 6th | None |
| Sepik FC | 2008–09: 7th | None |
| Lae City Dwellers | N/A | None |
| Northern Youth FC | N/A | None |
| Southern Conference | ||
| Team | Previous best | Other honours |
| Hekari United | 2006–14: Champions (8x) | 2009–10 OFC Champions League: Champions
2017 National Premier League: Champions 2007 Port Moresby Premier League: Champions |
| Komara Gulf | 2019–20: 4th | 2018 National Premier League: Champions |
| Port Moresby Strikers | 2018: 5th | None |
| Star Mountain | 2019–20: 7th | 1999 North Fly District: Champions |
| Tavur FC | 2013: 7th | None |
| Central Dabari | 2019: Southern Conference: 5th | None |
| Southern Youth FC | N/A | None |
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