Table coming soon….
This page explains how the New Zealand regional football leagues standings work — the Northern, Central and Southern Leagues that make up the first phase of the men’s New Zealand National League. The live table below updates automatically as results come in, so you can always see the current order; the guide beneath it covers the format, how teams earn points, which positions earn a place in the National League Championship, how promotion and relegation work, how ties are broken, and the key dates for the current season.
What are the New Zealand regional leagues?
The Northern, Central and Southern Leagues are three parallel competitions that sit at Level 2 of New Zealand’s football pyramid, directly below the National League Championship. Together they form the regional phase of the men’s New Zealand National League, and in the 2026 season they contain 32 clubs between them. Each club plays only the other clubs in its own region, and its finishing position decides whether it advances to the Championship phase that crowns the national champion.
The three leagues were created in the 2021 restructure of New Zealand football, merging the old top regional premier leagues into a single national framework. The women’s National League feeds off a similar regional system, but the club lists and qualification rules differ, so this page focuses on the men’s competition. For the wider picture of how the country’s codes rank teams, see our overview of New Zealand’s main competitions.
Quick facts
- Competition: Regional phase of the men’s New Zealand National League
- Leagues: Northern, Central and Southern
- Level: Level 2 of the New Zealand football pyramid
- Clubs (2026): 32 in total — Northern 12, Central 10, Southern 10
- Points: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss
- Season: Winter regional phase (about late March to late August), then the Championship phase from September
- How it is decided: League tables determine Championship qualification; the national title is settled by a Grand Final
How the regional league format works
Each regional league is a straightforward double round-robin: every club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away. Because the leagues are different sizes, the number of matches differs. In 2026 the Northern League has 12 clubs, so each plays 22 matches; the Central and Southern Leagues each have 10 clubs, so each plays 18 matches.
Scoring follows the standard football system: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 for a loss. Clubs are then ranked by total points, highest first. If you are new to this layout, our guide on how to read a sports standings table walks through every row and column, and the standings table abbreviations glossary explains what P, W, D, L, GF, GA, GD and Pts mean.
What each position in the table means
Position in a regional league table matters because the top finishers qualify for the National League Championship. The allocation in 2026 is:
- Northern League: the top 4 clubs qualify.
- Central League: the top 3 clubs qualify.
- Southern League: the top 2 clubs qualify.
That gives nine qualifiers on merit. Two reserve sides take automatic Championship places — Auckland FC Reserves (in the Northern region) and Wellington Phoenix Reserves (in the Central region) — which made an 11-club Championship in 2026. Because of their A-League Men commitments, those reserve teams are not eligible for relegation from their regional league.
At the other end of the table, the lowest-placed clubs face relegation to the regional leagues below — for the Northern League that is the NRFL Championship, while the Southern League relegates into competitions such as the Canterbury, Nelson Bays or Southern Premierships. Clubs are promoted up from those same divisions to replace them. The exact number of promotion and relegation places can change season to season and region to region, so always check the current competition regulations.
League comparison
| League | Clubs (2026) | Matches per club | Championship places |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern League | 12 | 22 | Top 4 (plus Auckland FC Reserves) |
| Central League | 10 | 18 | Top 3 (plus Wellington Phoenix Reserves) |
| Southern League | 10 | 18 | Top 2 |
How are ties in the table broken?
When two or more clubs finish level on points, the regional leagues apply a set tiebreaker order. In 2026 that order is: goal difference, then goals scored, then goals against, then the head-to-head record between the tied clubs, then disciplinary record, and finally a coin toss if everything else is equal. Goal difference is simply goals scored minus goals conceded. Our explainer on how points and tiebreakers work covers these rules in more depth, including how they vary between competitions.
Key dates for the 2026 season
The regional phase runs through the New Zealand winter. In 2026 the Northern League played from 21 March to 29 August, the Central League from 28 March to 29 August, and the Southern League from late March to late August. Matches are scheduled at local New Zealand times, and because the season sits in winter they are almost entirely played in New Zealand Standard Time (NZST), typically on weekend afternoons. The Championship phase that follows runs from September into December.
How does the season end?
Each regional league is decided on the table alone — there is no separate regional final, so whoever finishes top is the league winner, and the qualification places are read straight off the final standings. The national title is then settled in the Championship phase: the regional qualifiers play a Championship round-robin, and the leading clubs meet in a Grand Final to decide the New Zealand champion. The Grand Final result also determines New Zealand’s entry into the OFC Champions League, the Oceania club competition.
How can New Zealanders follow the regional leagues?
New Zealand Football streams a selection of regional-phase matches free each round on its official YouTube channel, and publishes the week’s live-game schedule during the season. The Championship phase has been carried more widely, with games on Sky Sport and streamed on New Zealand Football’s YouTube channel and FIFA+. Broadcast arrangements are confirmed season by season, so check the New Zealand Football website for the current schedule. The reserve sides in these leagues connect the grassroots pyramid to the professional game — you can read how the senior club table works in our guide to the A-League Men standings.
Sources
Vanliga frågor (FAQ)
What are the New Zealand regional leagues?
They are the Northern, Central and Southern Leagues, three Level 2 competitions that form the regional phase of the men’s New Zealand National League. Clubs play only within their own region, and the top finishers advance to the National League Championship.
How many points is a win worth?
A win is worth 3 points, a draw 1 point and a loss 0 points. Clubs are ranked by total points, with goal difference and then goals scored used to separate teams level on points.
How many teams qualify for the National League Championship?
In 2026 the top four from the Northern League, top three from the Central League and top two from the Southern League qualified, joined by Auckland FC Reserves and Wellington Phoenix Reserves as automatic entrants — 11 clubs in all.
Is there promotion and relegation?
Yes. The lowest-placed clubs can be relegated to the regional leagues below, such as the NRFL Championship in the north, with clubs promoted up to replace them. Reserve sides of A-League clubs are not relegated. The exact number of places can vary by season.
When is the regional league season played?
The regional phase runs through the New Zealand winter, roughly from late March to late August, with most matches on weekend afternoons in New Zealand Standard Time. The National League Championship phase follows from September into December.