| Central League | |
| Country: |  New Zealand |
| Confed: | OFC (Oceania) |
| Teams: | 10 |
| Feeds: | National League |
| Relegation: | Central League 2 |
| Levels: | 2 |
| Champions: | Wellington Olympic (6th title) |
| Season: | 2024 |
| Most Successful Club: | Western Suburbs FC and Miramar Rangers (7 titles) |
| Website: | Capital Football |
| Tv: | FIFA+ (select games) |
| Current: | 2024 Central League |
The Central League is an amateur status league run by Capital Football for association football clubs located in the southern and central parts of the North Island. It is a New Zealand top-tier competition during the winter season, and sits at step two overall under the summer National League.
The premier league was initially set up as one of the three feeder leagues to the New Zealand National Soccer League in 1992, and continued in this form until being disbanded at the end of the 1999 season. The league was reinstated in 2005 as the top club league for the central region of New Zealand football,[1] and the current strength of the league is demonstrated by it providing the past Chatham Cup winners in 2009 (Wellington Olympic), 2010 (Miramar Rangers), 2011 (Wairarapa United) and 2015 (Napier City Rovers).[2]
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.[3]
The league currently comprises 10 teams, who play each other twice in the season on a home-and-away basis. At the conclusion of the season the winner are crowned champions and with the next two sides proceed to the National League. The bottom side is relegated automatically to their regional league (either Capital Premier or the Federation League), with the top eligible sides from each of those leagues playing a two-legged playoff for promotion.
As of the 2024 season.
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2023 season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island Bay United | Wakefield Park | Island Bay, Wellington | 2nd in Capital Premier (promoted via play-offs) | |
| Miramar Rangers | David Farrington Park | Miramar | 7th | |
| Napier City Rovers | Bluewater Stadium | Napier | 3rd | |
| North Wellington | Alex Moore Park | Johnsonville | 9th | |
| Petone | Memorial Park | Petone, Lower Hutt | 4th | |
| Hutt Park | Lower Hutt | 8th | ||
| Waterside Karori | Karori Park | Karori | 6th | |
| Wellington Olympic | Wakefield Park | Wellington | 1st | |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Fraser Park | Lower Hutt | 2nd | |
| Western Suburbs | Endeavour Park | Porirua | 5th |
As of the 2022 season.[4] Wairarapa United was entered as one of the originally 10 teams to play the 2022 season but withdrew with just two weeks to go before the start of the season. They were replaced by Wellington United who had originally missed out on promotion to Havelock North Wanderers.
| Team | 2022 season | |
|---|---|---|
| Havelock North Wanderers | 10th (relegated) | |
| Miramar Rangers | 2nd | |
| Napier City Rovers | 4th | |
| North Wellington | 7th | |
| Petone | 6th | |
| Waterside Karori | 5th | |
| Wellington Olympic | 1st | |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 3rd | |
| Wellington United | 8th | |
| Western Suburbs | 9th |
The following list is from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Central League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League.
| Season | Top scorer(s) | Club(s) | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | George Ott | Lower Hutt City | 21 | |
| 2022 | Hamish Watson | Miramar Rangers | 20 | |
| 2023 | Matthew Brazier | Petone | 18 |
The following records are from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Central League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League. The records are up to date as of the end of the 2023 season.
| Season | Winner(s) | Club(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021[25] | Jonty Roubos | Wairarapa United | |
| 2022[26] | Jonathan McNamara | Napier City Rovers | |
| 2023[27] | Matthew Brazier | Petone |
Source:[1]