Southern League (New Zealand)
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The Southern League, known as the Dettol Southern League for sponsorship reasons, is a competition organized by the New Zealand Football, run by the Mainland Football and the Southern Football, for association football clubs located in the South Island of New Zealand. It is a New Zealand top-tier competition during the winter season, and sits at step two overall under the summer National League.
| |
| Founded | 1968 Revived: 2021 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1999 |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Confederation | OFC (Oceania) |
| Number of clubs | 10 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Feeder to | National League |
| Relegation to | Canterbury Premiership Nelson Bays Premiership Southern Premiership |
| Domestic cup(s) | Chatham Cup |
| League cup(s) | English Cup (Mainland Football teams only) |
| Last champions | Cashmere Technical (2nd title) (2024) |
| Most championships | Cashmere Technical Christchurch United (2 titles each) |
| Top goalscorer | Garbhan Coughlan (85) |
| TV partners | FIFA+ (selected matches) |
| Website | Mainland Football |
| Current: 2025 Southern League | |
History
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The original Southern League
The first Southern League was formed in 1968, before the launch of a National Soccer League, the Southern League was the highest level competition available to the clubs in the South Island. When the National Soccer League was created in 1970, the Southern League became one of its feeder leagues and continued to be a feeder league until it folded in 1999.
After the first four seasons as Div 1 and Div 2, the competition consistently featured two structures as either Div 1 North/South or Div 1 and Div 2 North/South, for cost reasons.
South Island Football Championship
In 2008, the Mainland and FootballSouth federations reintroduced the Southern League concept through the South Island Football Championship, to ensure that at the end of each season, there would be a champion club in the South Island. This compitition would run from 2008 to 2017, with an unexpected return in 2020.
Initially, the competition featured the champions and runners-up from the respective Premier League competitions. However, following a hiatus in 2010, the format was revised to a single-match fixture between the champions of the Mainland Premier League and FootballSouth Premier League, with the hosting venue alternating between the two federations each year. Cashmere Technical was the most successful team in the Championship winning it 4 times.
Southern Football League
In 2018, both Mainland Football and FootballSouth reintroduced the concept Southern League as a league instead of a final. The Mainland Premier League played a double round robbin, while the FootballSouth Premier League played a single round robbin. The top 5 teams of Mainland and top 3 teams of FootballSouth Premier League advanced onto the Southern Football League where they played a single round robbin, where Cashmere Technical won the title.
The same happened in 2019, with the top 5 teams of Mainland and top 3 teams of FootballSouth Premier League advanced onto the Southern Football League where they played a single round robbin, with Nelson Suburbs winning the league on the final day.
Revival of the Southern League
| Season | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Cashmere Technical | Selwyn United |
| 2022 | Christchurch United | Cashmere Technical |
| 2023 | Christchurch United | Cashmere Technical |
| 2024 | Cashmere Technical | Coastal Spirit |
| English Cup winners Mainland Treble 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] 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]
Cashmere Technical were the inaugural Southern League winners whilst winning the Chatham Cup and the English Cup, with Selwyn United being the runners up. Both teams were set to take park of the new National League competition, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic New Zealand Football announced a change in plans to the Championship phase of the 2021 competition due to COVID-19 alert levels.[3] The Championship phase was to be split up into two 'Hubs', the Auckland Hub and the South Hub, with both team to play in the South Hub against the Central League qualifications.[3] Later on the 2 November, after confirmation that the alert levels would not change to allow the Auckland and Waikato teams to play any further part in the National Competition, New Zealand Football announced that they were cancelling the reminder of the National League. In its place, they instead decided on a one-off interregional competition, the National League: South Central Series.[4] Cashmere went on to finish third, one point off the grand final, and Selwyn finished sixth on one point. Cashmere's Garbhan Coughlan was the regions top scorer winning the golden boot with three goals in the National League and seven in the Southern League tied with Christchurch United's Edward Wilkinson.
The next two season were won by Christchurch United with Cashmere Technical being the runners up on both occasions. Cashmere finished higher than Christchurch United in the 2022 National League, with Christchurch United finishing 3rd in the 2023 season. Christchurch United competed again in the National League after 30 years, then in 2023 they completed the treble winning the Chatham Cup and the English Cup 32 years after winning their last treble. Garbhan Coughlan was the regions top scorer winning the golden boot again with nine and eleven goals respectively. In 2022, Cashmere won the English Cup against Ferrymead Bays.
In the most recent season, Cashmere Technical won the league, with Coastal Spirit finishing runners up. This was Coastal's best finish in the league after finishing 3rd in the previous year. Coastal finished higher than Cashmere in their debut season in the National League. With always, Garbhan Coughlan won the golden boot with scoring eight goals. Coastal's season got better as they reached the quarter and semi finals of the Chatham Cup for the very first time, then they won the English Cup beating Cashmere 4–0 in the final.
Current clubs
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Christchurch
Location of clubs in South Island for the 2025 Southern League season
Location of clubs in Christchurch District for the 2025 Southern League season
As of 2025 season [5]
| 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 | 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) |
Promotion/Relegation
As of 2025 season
| Season | Relegated Club | Federation | Promoted Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Otago University | Southern Football | Ferrymead Bays Mosgiel Nomads United |
| 2022 | Mosgiel | FC Twenty 11 | |
| 2023 | Green Island | University of Canterbury | |
| 2024 | FC Twenty 11 | Mainland Football | Wanaka |
Sponsorship
On 31 January 2025, New Zealand Football agreed a multi-year sponsorship deal with cleaning brand Dettol for naming rights of the National League (including the regional leagues) from the start of the 2025 season.[6]
Media coverage
In September 2023, New Zealand signed a deal to have all National League games streamed for free on FIFA+ worldwide. This includes select games of the qualifying league games as well.[7][8] On 8 May 2024, New Zealand Football announced they had partnered with Sportway to continue broadcasting on FIFA+. 4K Sportway cameras have begun to be installed at grounds as of May 2024 with plans to broadcast over 200 games for the 2024 season.[9]
Awards
The following lists are each seasons Top Goalscorer and Most Valuable Player 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.
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Records
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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.
- Most wins in a season: 16
- Fewest wins in a season: 0 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
- Most draws in a season: 7 – Coastal Spirit (2022)
- Fewest draws in a season: 0 – FC Twenty 11 (2023)[d]
- Most defeats in a season: 17 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
- Fewest defeats in a season: 1
- Most goals scored in a season: 90 – Cashmere Technical (2024)
- Fewest goals scored in a season: 9 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
- Most goals conceded in a season: 93 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
- Fewest goals conceded in a season: 12 – Christchurch United (2022, 2023)[f]
- Most points in a season: 49
- Fewest points in a season: 1 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
- Highest goal difference: +71 – Cashmere Technical (2024)
- Lowest goal difference: -84 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
- Biggest home win: – Cashmere Technical 12–0 FC Twenty 11 (6 April 2024)
- Biggest away win: – Green Island 3–15 Christchurch United (27 August 2023)
- Highest scoring match: 18 goals – Green Island 3–15 Christchurch United (27 August 2023)
- Biggest title-winning margin: – 7 points, 2023, Christchurch United (49 points) over Cashmere Technical (42 points)
- Smallest title-winning margin: – 0 points and +3 goal difference, 2022, Christchurch United (+62) over Cashmere Technical (+59). Both finished on 49 points.
Champions
Note: Number of times club placed in placement, (only for clubs with multiple placements)
- Champions
- 2021 – Cashmere Technical (1)
- 2022 – Christchurch United (1)
- 2023 – Christchurch United (2)
- 2024 – Cashmere Technical (2)
- Runners-up
- 2021 – Selwyn United
- 2022 – Cashmere Technical (1)
- 2023 – Cashmere Technical (2)
- 2024 – Coastal Spirit
Performance by Champions
| 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 |
Notes
- 2021 season had 4 teams with 0 draws,[b] Cashmere Technical, Coastal Spirit, South City Royals[c] and Otago University
- 2021 season had 1 team with only 1 loss,[b] Cashmere Technical
- 2021 season had 1 team with 7 goals conceded,[b] Cashmere Technical
References
External links
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