Southern League (New Zealand)

The Southern League is an amateur status league competition run by FootballSouth and Mainland Football for Association football clubs located in the South Island of New Zealand. It is at the second level of New Zealand Football behind the national association based New Zealand National League, and the highest level of club based football available to teams within the region.

Southern League
Founded2021
Country New Zealand
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Number of teams8
Level on pyramid2
Feeder toNational League
Relegation toMainland Premier League
FootballSouth Premier League
Domestic cup(s)Chatham Cup
Current championsCashmere Technical (1st title)
(2021)
Most championshipsCashmere Technical (1 title)
WebsiteFootballSouth
Current: 2022 Southern League

Renaming and restructuring of leagues in the country

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] For the Southern League, the two existing competitions run in the South Island (Mainland Premier League and FootballSouth Premier League) play their original league seasons for the teams to then qualify for a place in the newly formed competition.[2] Five teams from Mainland Premiership, which covers the top of the South Island to Christchurch and three teams from FootballSouth Premier League, covering from below Christchurch to the bottom of the South Island, will qualify.[2] The competition will start on the 17 July 2021.[2]

Current clubs
Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2022 Southern League season
Location of clubs in Christchurch District for the 2022 Southern League season

As of 2022 season [3]

Team Home ground Location 2021 season
Cashmere Technical Garrick Memorial Park Woolston, Christchurch 1st
Christchurch United Christchurch Football Centre Spreydon, Christchurch 5th
Coastal Spirit Linfield Park Linwood, Christchurch 6th
Dunedin City Royals Caledonian Ground Dunedin North 3rd
Ferrymead Bays Ferrymead Park Ferrymead, Christchurch 1st in Mainland Qualifying League (promoted)
Green Island Sunnyvale Park Green Island, Dunedin 8th
Mosgiel Memorial Park Ground Mosgiel 1st in FootballSouth Championship (promoted)
Nelson Suburbs Saxton Field Nelson 7th
Nomads United Tulett Park Casebrook, Christchurch 2nd in Mainland Qualifying League (promoted)
Selwyn United Foster Park Rolleston 2nd

Top scorers

The following list is from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Southern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League.

Season Top scorer(s) Club(s) Goals
2021 Garbhan Coughlan Cashmere Technical 7

Records

The following records are from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Southern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League. The records are up to date as of the end of the 2021 season.

MVP Winners
Season Winner(s) Club(s)
2021[4] Pieter-Taco Bierema Selwyn United

Past Champions

References
  1. "New National League competition details confirmed". New Zealand Football. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  2. "Who is in the running for Southern League qualification?". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. "Football South - Federation Premierships". www.footballsouth.co.nz.
  4. "Goal-filled final weekend in the South Central Series as Miramar Rangers (men) and Southern United (women) crowned winners". NZFootball.co.nz. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
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