2025 New Zealand National League
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The 2025 New Zealand Men's National League is the fifth 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.[1] 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.[2][3] Auckland FC Reserves and Wellington Phoenix Reserves qualify automatically for the 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.[4] Over the course of the season, each team must also ensure players aged 20 or under account for 10% of available playing minutes.[5]
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 15 March - December |
← 2024 2026 → | |
The qualifying league fixtures were announced on 28 February 2025. The Northern League starts on 15 March 2025 with the Central and Southern leagues starting on the 29 March. The Northern and Central leagues concluded on 30 August 2025 with the Southern League concluding on 31 August 2025.[6]
Qualifying leagues
Summarize
Perspective
2025 Northern League
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 15 March - 30 August |
| Matches played | 8 |
| Goals scored | 26 (3.25 per match) |
← 2024 2026 →
All statistics correct as of 23 March 2025. | |
The 2025 Northern League is the 60th season, 5th season since the restructure of the leagues, of premiership football in the Upper North Island. The League started on 15 March and finishes on 30 August, with the top four side qualifying for the National League Championship along with the already qualified Auckland FC Reserves.
Northern League teams
Twelve teams are competing in the league – the top ten teams from the previous season, one team promoted from the NRFL Championship and Auckland FC Reserves. The promoted team is Fencibles United.[7] It is both Auckland FC Reserves's and Fencibles United's first season in the National League. They replaced Melville United and Hamilton Wanderers (both relegated after a four-year Northern League spell).[8]
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | Kiwitea Street | Sandringham, Auckland | 1st |
| Auckland FC Reserves | Fred Taylor Park | Whenuapai, Auckland | New entry |
| Auckland United | Keith Hay Park | Mount Roskill, Auckland | 5th |
| Bay Olympic | Olympic Park | New Lynn, Auckland | 6th |
| Birkenhead United | Shepherds Park | Beach Haven, Auckland | 4th |
| East Coast Bays | Bay City Park | Northcross, Auckland | 9th |
| Eastern Suburbs | Madills Farm | Kohimarama, Auckland | 3rd |
| Fencibles United | Riverhills Domain | Pakuranga, Auckland | 1st in Championship (promoted) |
| Manurewa | War Memorial Park | Manurewa, Auckland | 10th |
| Tauranga City | Links Avenue Reserve | Mount Maunganui | 7th |
| West Coast Rangers | Fred Taylor Park | Whenuapai, Auckland | 8th |
| Western Springs | Seddon Fields | Westmere, Auckland | 2nd |
Northern League personnel
| Team | Manager | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland City |  Paul Posa[9] |
Mario Ilich |
| Auckland FC Reserves |  Luke Casserly[10] |
Codey Phoenix[11] |
| Auckland United |  José Figueira[12] |
Ross Haviland[13] |
| Bay Olympic | Peter Smith[14] |
Callum McNeill[15] |
| Birkenhead United | Paul Hobson[12] |
Luke Jorgensen[16] |
| East Coast Bays | Joe Hall[17] |
Louie Caunter[18] |
| Eastern Suburbs | Michael Built[19] |
Adam Thomas[20] |
| Fencibles United | Rhys Ruka[21] |
|
| Manurewa |  Tashreeq Davids[22] |
|
| Tauranga City |  Barry Gardiner[23] |
Campbell Higgins[24] |
| West Coast Rangers | Chad Coombes[25] |
 Dev Pokhrel[26] |
| Western Springs | Scott Hales[27] |
Oscar Ramsay[28] |
Northern League managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Suburbs |  Brian Shelley (interim)[29] |
End of interim spell | 27 November 2024 | Pre-season | Michael Built[19] |
27 November 2024 |
| Manurewa | Dylan Burns |
End of contract | 21 December 2024 | Tashreeq Davids[22] |
21 December 2024 | |
| Auckland City |  Albert Riera[9] |
Stepped down | 21 January 2025 | Paul Posa[9] |
21 January 2025 | |
| Auckland FC Reserves | Inaugural | Luke Casserly[10] |
12 February 2025 | |||
Northern League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland City | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 9 | Winner of Northern League and qualification to National League Championship |
| 2 | Birkenhead United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 5 | +7 | 7 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 3 | Auckland United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 7 | |
| 4 | Tauranga City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 6 | |
| 5 | Western Springs | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 | |
| 6 | Eastern Suburbs | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | |
| 7 | Bay Olympic | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 | |
| 8 | West Coast Rangers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 3 | |
| 9 | Auckland FC Reserves[a] | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 2 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 10 | East Coast Bays | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 2 | |
| 11 | Fencibles United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 1 | Relegation to NRFL Championship |
| 12 | Manurewa | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | −9 | 0 |
Updated to match(es) played on 6 April 2025. Source: NRF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[31]
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[31]
Notes:
- Auckland FC Reserves gain automatic entry into the National League Championship phase due to the A-League Men requirements.[30]
Northern League results table
| Home \ Away | AKC | AFC | AKU | BAY | BIR | ECB | EAS | FEN | MRW | TGA | WCR | WSP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | 2–1 | 2–1 | ||||||||||
| Auckland FC Reserves | 0–0 | 2–3 | ||||||||||
| Auckland United | 2–1 | 3–3 | ||||||||||
| Bay Olympic | 2–2 | 2–1 | ||||||||||
| Birkenhead United | 5–0 | |||||||||||
| East Coast Bays | 2–4 | |||||||||||
| Eastern Suburbs | ||||||||||||
| Fencibles United | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | |||||||||
| Manurewa | 0–1 | 0–3 | ||||||||||
| Tauranga City | 4–2 | |||||||||||
| West Coast Rangers | ||||||||||||
| Western Springs | 1–1 | 0–1 |
Northern League scoring
- As of 30 March 2025
Northern League top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[32] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colby Brennan |
Tauranga City | 3 |
 Ignacio Machuca |
West Coast Rangers | ||
| Morgan Wellsbury |
Tauranga City | ||
| 4 | Russell Currie |
Fencibles United | 2 |
 Guy-Frank Essome Penda |
East Coast Bays | ||
| Curtis Hughes |
Birkenhead United | ||
| Rohun Kawale |
Birkenhead United | ||
 Michael Suski |
Birkenhead United | ||
 Emiliano Tade |
Auckland United | ||
| Ben Wallace |
Western Springs | ||
2025 Central League
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 29 March - 30 August |
← 2024 2026 → | |
The 2025 Central League is the 29th season, 5th season since the restructure of the leagues, of premiership football in the Lower North Island. The League starts on 29 March and finishes on 30 August, with the top three side qualifying for the National League Championship along with the already qualified Wellington Phoenix Reserves.
Central League teams
Ten teams are competing in the league – the top nine teams from the previous season and the one team promoted from the 2024 play-off between the winners of the Central Federation League and the Capital Premier. The winner of the play-off was Upper Hutt City.[33] This is their first season in the Central League, since New Zealand football's restructuring in 2021. They replaced Stop Out (relegated to the Central Federation League after two seasons in the Central League).[34]
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island Bay United | Wakefield Park | Island Bay, Wellington | 8th |
| Miramar Rangers | David Farrington Park | Miramar, Wellington | 4th |
| Napier City Rovers | Bluewater Stadium | Napier | 3rd |
| North Wellington | Alex Moore Park | Johnsonville, Wellington | 9th |
| Petone | Memorial Park | Petone, Lower Hutt | 7th |
| Upper Hutt City | Maidstone Park | Maidstone, Upper Hutt | 1st in Capital Premier (promoted via play-offs) |
| Waterside Karori | Karori Park | Karori, Wellington | 6th |
| Wellington Olympic | Wakefield Park | Island Bay, Wellington | 1st |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Fraser Park | Taitā, Lower Hutt | 5th |
| Western Suburbs | Endeavour Park | Porirua | 2nd |
Central League personnel
| Team | Manager[35] | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Island Bay United | Stu Jacobs |
|
| Miramar Rangers | Kale Herbert[36] |
Sam Mason-Smith |
| Napier City Rovers | Bill Robertson |
Jim Hoyle[37] |
| North Wellington | Stu Pyne[38] |
Gavin Hoy[39] |
| Petone | Jamie o'Connor[40] |
Hami Paranihi-Nuku |
| Upper Hutt City | Rory Fallon |
|
| Waterside Karori | Sam Morrissey[41] |
Harry Fautley |
| Wellington Olympic | Paul Ifill |
 Ben Mata[42] |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Chris Greenacre |
Isaac Hughes |
| Western Suburbs | Alan Koch[43] |
Harry Fautley[43] |
Central League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellington Phoenix Reserves[a] | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | +8 | 6 | Winner of Central League and qualification to National League Championship |
| 2 | Waterside Karori | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 3 | Napier City Rovers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 | |
| 4 | Wellington Olympic | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 | |
| 5 | Miramar Rangers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| 6 | North Wellington | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 1 | |
| 7 | Island Bay United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 1 | |
| 8 | Petone | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 0 | |
| 9 | Western Suburbs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 0 | |
| 10 | Upper Hutt City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 | Relegation to Central League 2 |
Updated to match(es) played on 6 April 2025. Source: Capital Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[31]
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[31]
Notes:
- Wellington Phoenix Reserves gain automatic entry into the National League Championship phase due to the A-League Men requirements.[2]
Central League results table
| Home \ Away | IBU | MRA | NCR | NWT | PET | UHC | WKA | WOP | WPX | WES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island Bay United | 1–5 | |||||||||
| Miramar Rangers | 2–1 | |||||||||
| Napier City Rovers | 1–0 | |||||||||
| North Wellington | 3–3 | |||||||||
| Petone | 1–2 | 2–3 | ||||||||
| Upper Hutt City | ||||||||||
| Waterside Karori | 2–0 | |||||||||
| Wellington Olympic | 1–0 | |||||||||
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 4–0 | |||||||||
| Western Suburbs | 2–3 |
2025 Southern League
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 29 March - 31 August |
| Matches played | 10 |
| Goals scored | 44 (4.4 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | 3 players (3 goals each) |
| Biggest home win | Coastal Spirit 5–1 Dunedin City Royals (30 March) |
| Biggest away win | University of Canterbury 0–6 Nomads United (5 April) |
| Highest scoring | 5 matches, 6 goals per match |
← 2024 2026 →
All statistics correct as of 5 April. | |
The 2025 Southern League is the 4th season of a full 10 team league, 5th season since the restructure of the leagues, of a South Island wide football league. The League starts on 29 March and finishes on 31 August, with the top two side qualifying for the National League Championship.
Southern League teams
Ten teams are competing in the league – the top nine teams from the previous season and the winner of the Southern League play-offs. The promoted team is Wānaka.[44] This is their first season in the Southern League. They replaced FC Twenty 11 (relegated to the Canterbury Premiership League after their second season in the Southern League).[45]
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashmere Technical | Garrick Memorial Park | Woolston, Christchurch | 1st |
| Christchurch United | United Sports Centre | Spreydon, Christchurch | 3rd |
| Coastal Spirit | Tāne Norton Park | Linwood, Christchurch | 2nd |
| Dunedin City Royals | Tahuna Park | Tainui, 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 | English Park | St Albans, Christchurch | 9th |
| Wānaka | Recreation Centre | Wānaka | 2nd in Southern Premier League (promoted via play-offs) |
Southern League personnel
| Team | Manager | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Cashmere Technical | Dan Schwarz[46] |
Tom Schwarz[46] |
| Christchurch United | Ryan Edwards[47][48] |
Joel Stevens[49] |
| Coastal Spirit | Robbie Stanton[50][51] |
Joe Hoole[52][53] |
| Dunedin City Royals | Blair Scoullar[54] |
Jared Grove |
| Ferrymead Bays | Alan Walker[55] |
James Deehan |
| Nelson Suburbs |  Ryan Stewart |
Lennon Whewell[56] |
| Nomads United | Matthew Jansen[57] |
Caleb Cottom |
| Selwyn United | Chris Brown[58] |
Jayden Booth |
| University of Canterbury |  Ricardo Felitti |
Max McGuinness |
| Wānaka | Ben Sippola[59] |
Jake Thompson |
Southern League managerial changes
Note: Some cases use first/last match coached
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Canterbury | Ben Ellis |
Mutual Consent | 1 September 2024 | Pre-season | Ricardo Felitti |
Before 29 March 2024 |
| Wānaka |  Thomas van Hees[59] |
Stepped down | 6 October 2024 | Ben Sippola[59] |
Before 29 March 2024 | |
| Dunedin City Royals | Richard Murray[60] |
Stepped down | 29 October 2024 | Blair Scoullar[54] |
31 October 2024 |
Southern League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cashmere Technical | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 6 | Winner of Southern League and qualification to National League Championship |
| 2 | Nelson Suburbs | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 4 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 3 | Christchurch United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 4 | |
| 4 | Nomads United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 3 | |
| 5 | Coastal Spirit | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 3 | |
| 6 | Ferrymead Bays | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 3 | |
| 7 | Wānaka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 8 | Dunedin City Royals | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 | |
| 9 | University of Canterbury | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | −7 | 0 | |
| 10 | Selwyn United | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | −9 | 0 | Relegated to the Nelson Premiership/Canterbury Premiership/Southern Premiership |
Updated to match(es) played on 5 April. Source: Mainland Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[31]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[31]
Southern League results table
| Home \ Away | CAS | CHU | CSP | DCR | FMB | NEL | NOM | SEL | UCF | WĀN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cashmere Technical | 4–2 | |||||||||
| Christchurch United | 1–1 | |||||||||
| Coastal Spirit | 5–1 | |||||||||
| Dunedin City Royals | 1–0 | |||||||||
| Ferrymead Bays | ||||||||||
| Nelson Suburbs | 4–1 | |||||||||
| Nomads United | 2–4 | |||||||||
| Selwyn United | 1–5 | 0–5 | ||||||||
| University of Canterbury | 0–6 | |||||||||
| Wānaka | 1–0 |
Southern League scoring
- As of 30 March 2025
Southern League top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[61] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garbhan Coughlan | Cashmere Technical | 3 |
| Caleb Johnson | Nomads United | ||
| Yusuf van Dam | Cashmere Technical | ||
| 4 | Jacob Anderson | Nomads United | 2 |
| Weston Bell | Coastal Spirit | ||
| Liam Cotter | |||
| Gabriel Gallaway | Cashmere Technical | ||
| Sebastian Hickman | Nelson Suburbs | ||
| Brady Jacobs | Dunedin City Royals | ||
| Luca Marson | Ferrymead Bays | ||
| Joshua Tollervey | Christchurch United | ||
| 12 | 19 players | 1 | |
Qualified clubs
Summarize
Perspective
There are 11 men's National League Championship qualifying spots (4 plus Auckland FC Reserves for the Northern League, 3 plus Wellington Phoenix Reserves for the Central League and 2 for the Southern League).[2]
.svg)
Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2025 National League season
Location of clubs in Auckland Region for the 2025 National League season
Location of clubs in Wellington Region for the 2025 National League season
| Association | Team | Position in Regional League | App (last) | Previous best (last) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern League (4 berths) | 1st | |||
| 2nd | ||||
| 3rd | ||||
| 4th | ||||
| Central League (3 berths) | 1st | |||
| 3rd | ||||
| 4th | ||||
| Southern League (2 berths) | 1st | |||
| 2nd | ||||
| Auckland FC (automatic berth) | Auckland FC Reserves | Automatic qualification | 1st | Debut |
| Wellington Phoenix (automatic berth) | Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Automatic qualification | 4th (2024) | 5th (2024) |
Location
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland FC Reserves | Fred Taylor Park | Whenuapai, Auckland | — |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Fraser Park | Taitā, Lower Hutt | 5th |
| Northern League 1st place | |||
| Northern League 2nd place | |||
| Northern League 3rd place | |||
| Northern League 4th place | |||
| Central League 1st place | |||
| Central League 2nd place | |||
| Central League 3rd place | |||
| Southern League 1st place | |||
| Southern League 2nd place |
Personnel
| Team | Manager | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland FC Reserves | Luke Casserly[10] |
Codey Phoenix[11] |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Chris Greenacre |
Isaac Hughes |
| Northern League 1st place | ||
| Northern League 2nd place | ||
| Northern League 3rd place | ||
| Northern League 4th place | ||
| Central League 1st place | ||
| Central League 2nd place | ||
| Central League 3rd place | ||
| Southern League 1st place | ||
| Southern League 2nd place |
Championship phase
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland FC Reserves[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | Wellington Phoenix Reserves[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Northern League 1st place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification to Grand Final and Champions League group stage |
| 4 | Northern League 2nd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Northern League 3rd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Northern League 4th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Central League 1st place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Central League 2nd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Central League 3rd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Southern League 1st place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Southern League 2nd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: September 2025. Source: New Zealand Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals for; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record[31]
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals for; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record[31]
Notes:
- Auckland FC Reserves and Wellington Phoenix Reserves can not qualify for the Grand Final.[31]
Notes
References
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