| Northern League | |
| Pixels: | 200px |
| Country: |  New Zealand |
| Confed: | OFC (Oceania) |
| Founded: | 1965 |
| Teams: | 12 |
| Feeds: | National League |
| Relegation: | NRFL Championship |
| Levels: | 2 |
| Champions: | Auckland City (3rd title) |
| Season: | 2023 |
| Most Successful Club: | Bay Olympic Takapuna AFC Central United (4 titles) |
| Website: | Northern Region Football |
| Tv: | FIFA+ (select games) |
| Current: | 2024 Northern League |
The Northern League is an amateur New Zealand association football competition. It is a top-tier competition during the winter season, and sits at step two overall.
The Northern League includes football clubs located in the northern part of the North Island from the Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. The competition was known as the NRFL Premier until 2021, when New Zealand's football league system was restructured. Clubs compete each season to qualify for the New Zealand National League.
See also: Association football in New Zealand.
In the years 1965–1969, before the launch of a National Soccer League, the Northern League was the highest level competition available to the clubs in the northern region. When the National Soccer League was created in 1970, the Northern League became one of its feeder leagues.
In 1997 and 1998, when the National Soccer League operated as an invitation-only summer league, the Northern League again became the highest level club competition available to the clubs from the northern provinces.
With the demise of the club-based National Soccer League in 2004, the Northern League, now known as Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Men's Premier, became part of the highest level of football league competition in New Zealand for the third time in its history. The league runs between the New Zealand autumn and winter months (April to September), while the New Zealand Football Championship runs between the New Zealand spring and summer months (October to March).
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | Auckland United | ||
| Auckland City | Birkenhead United | ||
| Auckland City | Eastern Suburbs | ||
| Oceania Double winners Quadruple 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]
The first few season were dominated by Auckland City after replacing sister club Central United at the dissolution of the New Zealand Football Championship.[2] Auckland City won the league three consecutive times in their first three seasons. In the 2023 season, Auckland City and Eastern Suburbs completed the season undefeated.[3] [4] This is the first time, since Eastern Suburbs did so in the inaugural 1965 season, and the first time two clubs have done so in the same season.[5]
The following list is of the official sponsors of the League, unless otherwise noted.
Lotto Sport Italia 2008–2012, (primary sponsor) ASB Bank 2010–2012, (marketing partner) Prime (New Zealand) 2010–2012, (TV channel), (TV partner) FTN – Family Television Network 2010–2012, (TV channel), (TV partner) TVNZ 2010–2012,(TV channel), (official TV sponsor) Sky Network Television 2009–present, (TV channel), (TV partner – For national & international broadcasting)As of the 2024 season.[6]
| Team | Location | Home ground | 2023 season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | Sandringham, Auckland | Kiwitea Street | 1st | |
| Auckland United | Mount Roskill, Auckland | Keith Hay Park | 3rd | |
| Bay Olympic | New Lynn, Auckland | Olympic Park | 10th | |
| Birkenhead United | Beach Haven, Auckland | Shepherds Park | 8th | |
| East Coast Bays | Northcross, Auckland | Bay City Park | 2nd in Championship (promoted) | |
| Eastern Suburbs | Kohimarama, Auckland | Madills Farm | 2nd | |
| Hamilton Wanderers | Chartwell, Hamilton | Porritt Stadium | 6th | |
| Manurewa | Manurewa, Auckland | Memorial Park | 4th | |
| Melville United | Melville, Hamilton | Gower Park | 9th | |
| Tauranga City | Mount Maunganui, Tauranga | Links Avenue | 1st in Championship (promoted) | |
| West Coast Rangers | Whenuapai, Auckland | Fred Taylor Park | 7th | |
| Western Springs | Westmere, Auckland | Seddon Fields | 5th |
| Club | Location | Titles | Last title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1988 | |||
| 4 | 2011 | |||
| 4 | 2016 | |||
| 3 | 1984 | |||
| 3 | 1997 | |||
| 3 | 2013 | |||
| 3 | 2014 | |||
| 3 | 2015 | |||
| North Shore United | North Shore | 3 | 2019 | |
| 3 | 2023 | |||
| 2 | 1991 | |||
| 2 | 1994 | |||
| 2 | 2000 | |||
| 2 | 2009 |
This list consists of past or present notable players that have either represented an international team, or made more than fifty appearances at a professional level in their careers.
Chris Wood Danny Hay Jeremy Christie Cameron Howieson Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi Tim Payne Marco Rojas Ryan Thomas Ivan Vicelich Gareth Rowe Ross Nicholson Kayne Vincent Cole Tinkler Kris Bright Alex Greive Monty Patterson
David Browne Tommy Semmy
Faitalia Hamilton
Jama Boss Mohamed Awad
Alex Oikkonen
Emiliano Tade
Sean Devine
Marko Đorđević
Albert Riera Víctor EspasandínThe following list is from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Northern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League.
| Season | Top scorer(s) | Club(s) | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Alex Greive | Birkenhead United | 19 |
| 2022[7] |  Derek Tieku | Hamilton Wanderers | 17 |
| 2023 | Ryan de Vries Derek Tieku | Auckland City Hamilton Wanderers | 19 |
The following records are from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Northern 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[8] | Alex Greive | Birkenhead United | |
| 2022[9] | Derek Tieku | Hamilton Wanderers | |
| 2023[10] | Derek Tieku | Hamilton Wanderers |