The New Zealand National League is the name given to the current New Zealand top football competition. Originally set up as the New Zealand National Soccer League there have been many versions of the competition as well as many different names. The most common format saw club teams play each other, at least two times, on a home and away basis. At the completion of those games, the best-performing team was declared as the New Zealand champion. The latest version has the clubs play in their regional leagues with the top teams qualifying for the Championship phase to then play each other for the champion.
Leagues structures The national competition has had many different formats: StructureFormatParticipationSeasonEntryProvincial Champions 1892–1968ProvincialClubWinterPromotion/RelegationRegional Leagues1966–1969RegionalClubWinterPromotion/RelegationNational Soccer League1970–1992NationalClubWinterPromotion/RelegationSuperclub League1993–1995Regional leading to National finalsSuper ClubWinterPromotion/RelegationNational Summer League1996–1998NationalClubSummerParticipation criteriaNew Zealand Island Leagues1999North Island/South Island leaguesNorth Island v South Island play-off ClubWinterParticipation criteriaNational Soccer League2000–2003Regional leading to National finalsClubWinterPromotion/RelegationNew Zealand Football Championship2004–2021National with playoff seriesFranchiseSummerParticipation criteriaNew Zealand National League2021–Regional leading to National finalsClubSummerParticipation criteria
1892–1968 Canterbury +1905 Christchurch Celtic 1906 Christchurch Club 1907 Burnham IS & Christchurch Celtic [shared] 1908 Christchurch Club 1909 Burnham IS 1910 Burnham IS 1911 Burnham IS 1912 Christchurch Nomads 1913 Sydenham Christchurch 1914 Sydenham Christchurch 1915 Christchurch Club 1916 Christchurch Rangers 1917 Linwood Christchurch 1918 Excelsior Christchurch 1919 Linwood Christchurch & Excelsior Christchurch [shared] 1920 Nomads Christchurch 1921 Corinthians 1922 Rangers 1923 Sunnyside 1924 Sunnyside 1925 Sunnyside 1926 Sunnyside 1927 Nomads 1928 Western 1929 Thistle 1930 Thistle 1931 Rangers & Nomads [shared] 1932 Thistle 1933 Thistle 1934 Thistle 1935 Western 1936 Western 1937 Technical OB & Western [shared] 1938 Nomads 1939 Western 1940 Western 1941 Western 1942 Western 1943 Western 1944 Thistle 1945 Western 1946 Western 1947 Western 1948 Western 1949 Technical OB 1950 Technical OB 1951 Technical OB 1952 Technical OB 1953 Western 1954 Western 1955 Western 1956 Western 1957 Western 1958 Western 1959 Western 1960 Western 1961 Technical OB 1962 Western 1963 Nomads 1964 Christchurch City 1965 Christchurch City 1966 Christchurch City 1967 Christchurch City
1965–1970 Northern League
1965 Eastern Suburbs
1966 Eastern Suburbs
1967 Ponsonby AFC (Auckland)
1968 Mount Wellington
1969 Mount Wellington
Central League
1966 Kiwi United (Western League)
1967 Eastern Union (Central Districts League)
1968 Western Suburbs
1969 Western Suburbs
Southern League
1968 Christchurch City
1969 Christchurch Technical
1970–1992 When the National Soccer League was launched in 1970, it became the first national league for any sport in New Zealand. It involved clubs playing each other two times, on a home and away basis. Two points were awarded for a win, and one point was awarded for a draw. The club with the greatest number of points was declared the champion. The league was open and clubs could be relegated from it and promoted to it.
The National Soccer League continued until 1992 when the League was disbanded due to financial reasons.
Season results YearLeague sizeMatches per teamWinnerRelegatedPromotedNotes1970814Blockhouse Bay-Mt Albert-Ponsonby, CavershamFirst season of the competition19711018Eastern SuburbsWestern Suburbs FCNew BrightonHungaria joined with Miramar Rangers to form Wellington City, while Caversham, Maori Hill and Dunedin Technical joined to form Dunedin Suburbs19721018Mt WellingtonAuckland CityWellington United DiamondsDunedin Technical and Maori Hill withdrew support of Dunedin Suburbs and left the position to Caversham, while Miramar Rangers withdrew support of Wellington City. Mt Albert-Ponsonby changed name to Auckland City19731018Christchurch UnitedCavershamNorth Shore United19741018Mt WellingtonWellington Diamond UnitedCaversham19751018Christchurch UnitedWellington CityWellington Diamond United19761018Wellington Diamond UnitedGisborne CityHamilton, Nelson United, Dunedin CityChristchurch United was known as Trans Tours United from 1976 to 197819771222North Shore UnitedNew Brighton, Dunedin City, CavershamCourier Rangers, Waterside, Woolston WMCLeague expanded to 12 teams and promotion and relegation changed to 3 up, 3 down with a team from each regional league19781222Christchurch UnitedHamilton, Waterside, Woolston WMCManurewa, Manawatu United, Dunedin City19791222Mt WellingtonManawatu United, Courier Rangers, Eastern SuburbsHamilton, Gisborne City, Rangers19801222Mt WellingtonStop Out, Blockhouse Bay, Nelson UnitedTakapuna, Miramar Rangers, Woolston WMC19811222Wellington Diamond UnitedTakapuna, Woolston WMC, RangersEast Coast Bays, Napier City Rovers, Invercargill Thistle19821222Mt WellingtonHamilton, East Coast Bays, Invercargill ThistlePapatoetoe, Nelson United, Dunedin Technical19831222ManurewaDunedin TechnicalAuckland UniversityNumber of points for a win changed from 2 to 319841222Gisborne City--Auckland University finished 12th but retained their place in the league following a four-way play-off win versus the regional league winners19851222Wellington Diamond UnitedNapier City RoversManawatu UnitedWellington Diamond United merged with Wellington City and became Wellington City Diamond United – then shortened the name to Wellington United19861222Mt Wellington-Mount Maunganui, Napier City Rovers, Hutt Valley UnitedDespite finishing 9th, Auckland University were dropped because their ground did not meet the required league standard. Manurewa who had finished last, were not relegated19871426Christchurch United-Waikato UnitedLeague expanded to 14 teams. Dunedin City who had finished 12th, withdrew due to financial reasons meaning Miramar Rangers weren't relegated19881426Christchurch UnitedManawatu United Waterside KaroriNelson United, who finished 13th, were dropped because their ground didn't meet the required league standards. They were replaced by Waitakere City. Manawatu United was still relegated and replaced by Waterside19891426Napier City RoversPapatoetoeNew Plymouth Old Boys19901426Waitakere CityWaterside KaroriNelson United19911426Christchurch UnitedGisborne CityPapatoetoePapatoetoe only played off against Central league winners Wellington Olympic as Southern league winners Dunedin City opted out due to costs19921426Waitakere City--League disbanded and replaced by the Superclub competition. Hutt Valley United disbanded and Lower Hutt City took their place in the new competition
1993–1995
Following the dissolution of the league a new competition, called Superclub Championship, was launched to decide the top club in the country. The top 10 clubs in each three regional groups (Northern, Central, Southern) would play each other home and away with $10,000 going to the team that finished first in their region, $7,000 for second and $5,000 for third. Then the country's top eight teams, being three teams from northern, and central regions, and two from the south, combine to play each other once. After that the top four teams then play each other once before culminating in a grand final between the top two from that round. For the team that finished first, they were paid $30,000, $15,000 went to the runner-up with $5,000 to third and fourth.
The winners in those years were as follows:
YearRegional League sizes (N, C, S)Regional matches per team (N, C, S)National League sizeMatches per teamWinnersRunners-up199310, 10, 1018, 18, 1887Napier City RoversWaitakere City199410, 10, 1018, 18, 1887North Shore UnitedNapier City Rovers199510, 11, 1018, 20, 1887Waitakere CityWaikato United
The increase in the number of teams participating for the championship, as well as lack of a true national league system, caused a strong drop in playing standards. It was clear that New Zealand not only needed a national league, but also one which was financially stable.
1996–1998
In 1996 a National League was launched for the second time in the history of New Zealand soccer. This time however, the league was (mostly) played during the summer months and did not feature relegation and promotion. Teams were invited to participate and the selection criteria involved the financial strength of the club and its location. The league also featured a championship play-off session at the end of the seasons, involving teams finishing high in the table.
To further upset the traditionalists, penalties followed matches which ended in a draw. The winners of the penalty shoot-out were awarded two points, the losers one point while winners in the regular 90 minutes were awarded four points (although this system as dropped in the last year of the National Summer Soccer League). The winners in those years were:
YearLeague sizeMatches per teamWinnersRunners-up19961018Waitakere CityMiramar Rangers19971018Waitakere CityNapier City Rovers19981120Napier City RoversCentral United
1999
In 1999, the National Soccer League again took a break. The competition for determining the New Zealand champion was moved back to (mostly) winter months. Two leagues were created, the North Island Soccer League (NISL) and the South Island Soccer League (SISL). The winner of the NISL, Central United, defeated the winner of the SISL, Dunedin Technical, 3–1, in extra time, in the championship final.
2000–2003 The National Soccer League was launched for the third time in 2000 as the National Club Championship. Like the original in 1970, it was played during (mostly) winter months and a promotion and relegation system was used. In the first season, a bonus point was awarded for scoring four or more goals in one match but that system was dropped in subsequent seasons. The championship play-offs system at the end of the league was the major difference when compared with the competition launched in 1970.
Seven teams, participating in the first edition, came from the NISL (Central United, Waitakere City, Napier City Rovers, Mt Wellington, Miramar Rangers, Metro and Manawatu AFC) and three came from the SISL (Dunedin Technical, Nelson Suburbs, Woolston WMC).
YearLeague sizeMatches per teamWinnerRelegatedPromotedNotes20001018Napier City RoversNelson SuburbsTauranga City UnitedNelson Suburbs, who finished 7th, withdrew due to financial reasons. Metro, who finished 10th, retained their place following play-offs. Controversially, Tauranga City United, who finished third in the play-offs, were awarded Nelson's spot in the league, ahead of Caversham, who finished second.20011018Central UnitedMetroNorth Shore United20021018Miramar RangersWaitakere CityCaversham20031018Miramar Rangers--
2004 2004 was the transition year between the National Soccer League and the New Zealand Football championship. Regional competitions were played but no New Zealand champion was determined.
2004–2021
On 15 October 2004 the New Zealand Football Championship was launched (NZFC). It marked a turning point in the history of the game in New Zealand, as for the first time traditional clubs were not eligible to participate in the top league. They were replaced by eight so-called "franchises", which represented specific regions of the country. in the latter years of the competition a small number of traditional clubs were invited to join the league
2021–