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.
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]
Team | Location | Stadium | 2023 season |
---|---|---|---|
Birkenhead United | Beach Haven, Auckland | Shepherds Park | 1st in NRF Women's Conference (promoted) |
Central United | Sandringham | Kiwitea Street | 7th |
FC Tauranga Moana | Mount Maunganui, Tauranga | Links Avenue | 4th |
Franklin United | Drury | Drury Sports Grounds | 3rd |
Manukau United | Māngere East, Auckland | Centre Park | 6th |
Melville United | Melville, Hamilton | Gower Park | 1st in WaiBOP W League (promoted via play-offs) |
Northern Rovers | Glenfield, Auckland | McFetridge Park | 8th in NRFL Women's Premiership (relegated) |
Onehunga Sports | Onehunga, Auckland | Waikaraka Park | 2nd |
Source:[11]