NRFL Women's Championship explained

NRFL Women's Championship
Country: New Zealand
Confed:OFC (Oceania)
Founded:1974, as NRFL Women's Division Two
2023, as NRFL Women's Championship
Teams:8
Promotion:NRFL Women's Premiership
Relegation:NRF Women's Conference
WaiBOP W-League
Domest Cup:Kate Sheppard Cup
Levels:3
Champions:Fencibles United (1st title)
Most Successful Club:Lynndale
Westlake Girls High School
(2 titles each)
Season:2023
Website:Northern Region Football

The Northern Regional Football League Women's Championship, currently known as Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons, is a semi-professional New Zealand association football league competition. The league began in 1974 as NRFL Women's Division Two until 1992 when it was dissolved. On four separate occasions since, there were plate competitions of the NRFL Women's Premiership with the winners considered Division Two winners.[1] In 2023, after the restructuring of New Zealand football leagues in 2021,[2] [3] [4] the league was reestablished as the NRFL Women's Championship.[5] [6]

The league includes football clubs located in the northern part of the North Island, with clubs from the Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty provinces. The league sits at step 3 of the New Zealand football pyramid.

Current clubs

Northern Rovers were relegated from the 2023 NRFL Women's Premiership,[7] while Melville United were promoted from the WaiBOP W-League and Birkenhead United were promoted from the NRF Women's Conference. Fencibles United were promoted to the NRFL Women's Premiership[8] and Te Atatu were relegated.[9] Tauranga City and Otumoetai merged along with Papamoa to form FC Tauranga Moana.

As of 2024 season:[10]

TeamLocationStadium2023 season
Birkenhead UnitedBeach Haven, AucklandShepherds Park1st in NRF Women's Conference (promoted)
Central UnitedSandringhamKiwitea Street7th
FC Tauranga MoanaMount Maunganui, TaurangaLinks Avenue4th
Franklin UnitedDruryDrury Sports Grounds3rd
Manukau UnitedMāngere East, AucklandCentre Park6th
Melville UnitedMelville, HamiltonGower Park1st in WaiBOP W League (promoted via play-offs)
Northern RoversGlenfield, AucklandMcFetridge Park8th in NRFL Women's Premiership (relegated)
Onehunga SportsOnehunga, AucklandWaikaraka Park2nd

Past champions

Source:[11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Northern Premier Women's League. UltimateNZSoccer. 24 February 2024.
  2. Web site: New National League competition details confirmed . . 31 March 2021.
  3. Web site: New National League competition . . 31 March 2021.
  4. Web site: New National League system . . 31 March 2021.
  5. Web site: Floodlit games to get new-look Lotto NRFL Women's Championship underway. 24 March 2023. friendsoffootballnz.com. 24 February 2024.
  6. Web site: Update - LOTTO NRFL Championship and NRF League One draws released. 16 March 2023. Northern Region Football. 24 February 2024.
  7. Web site: Women's Premier League champs survive late scare before celebrations begin. 14 August 2022. friendsoffootballnz.com. 1 September 2023.
  8. Web site: 2023 Season. ultimatenzsoccer.com. 19 January 2024.
  9. Web site: Birkenhead United and Melville United to decide promotion in one-off final. 23 September 2023. friendsoffootballnz.com. 24 February 2024.
  10. Web site: Clubs building on success of night matches in LOTTO NRFL 2024 draw. 23 February 2023. Northern Region Football. 24 February 2024.
  11. Web site: Northern Premier Women's League. ultimatenzsoccer.com. 31 August 2023.