Central League (New Zealand)

The Central League is an amateur status league run by Capital Football for association football clubs located in the southern and central parts of the North Island. It is a New Zealand top-tier competition during the winter season, and sits at step two overall under the summer National League.

Central League
CountryNew Zealand New Zealand
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid2
Feeder toNational League
Relegation toCentral Federation League
Capital Premier
Current championsWellington Olympic (5th title)
(2023)
Most championshipsWestern Suburbs FC and Miramar Rangers (7 titles)
WebsiteCapital Football
Current: 2023 Central League

League history

The premier league was initially set up as one of the three feeder leagues to the New Zealand National Soccer League in 1992, and continued in this form until being disbanded at the end of the 1999 season. The league was reinstated in 2005 as the top club league for the central region of New Zealand football,[1] and the current strength of the league is demonstrated by it providing the past Chatham Cup winners in 2009 (Wellington Olympic), 2010 (Miramar Rangers), 2011 (Wairarapa United) and 2015 (Napier City Rovers).[2]

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.[3]

League format

The league currently comprises 10 teams, who play each other twice in the season on a home-and-away basis. At the conclusion of the season the winner are crowned champions and with the next two sides proceed to the National League. The bottom side is relegated automatically to their regional league (either Capital Premier or the Federation League), with the top eligible sides from each of those leagues playing a two-legged playoff for promotion.

Current clubs
Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2023 Central League season

As of the 2023 season. Before the 2023 season began Wellington United withdrew from the competition. Play-off runner-up Whanganui Athletic took the vacant position joining play-off winner Stop Out who had replaced Havelock North Wanderers.

Team Home ground Location 2023 season
Miramar Rangers David Farrington Park Miramar 7th
Napier City Rovers Bluewater Stadium Napier 3rd
North Wellington Alex Moore Park Johnsonville 9th
Petone Memorial Park Petone, Lower Hutt 4th
Stop Out Hutt Park Lower Hutt 8th
Whanganui Athletic Wembley Park Whanganui 10th (relegated)
Waterside Karori Karori Park Karori 6th
Wellington Olympic Wakefield Park Wellington 1st
Wellington Phoenix Reserves Fraser Park Lower Hutt 2nd
Western Suburbs Endeavour Park Porirua 5th

Wellington Olympic, Wellington Phoenix Reserves, Napier City Rovers and Petone qualified for the 2023 New Zealand National League.

2022 Season
Location of clubs in Wellington Region for the 2023 Central League season

As of the 2022 season.[4] Wairarapa United was entered as one of the originally 10 teams to play the 2022 season but withdrew with just two weeks to go before the start of the season.[5] They were replaced by Wellington United who had originally missed out on promotion to Havelock North Wanderers.[6]

Team 2022 season
Havelock North Wanderers 10th (relegated)
Miramar Rangers 2nd
Napier City Rovers 4th
North Wellington 7th
Petone 6th
Waterside Karori 5th
Wellington Olympic 1st
Wellington Phoenix Reserves 3rd
Wellington United 8th
Western Suburbs 9th

Past clubs
As of 8 September 2023
Club Location Home Ground(s) Last Played Promoted Club
Whanganui Athletic Whanganui Wembley Park 2023[7]
Wellington United Wellington Newtown Park 2022 Withdrew before the 2023 season and replaced by Whanganui Athletic[8]
Havelock North Wanderers Havelock North Guthrie Park 2022 Stop Out
Wairarapa United Masterton Memorial Park 2021 Withdrew before the 2022 season and replaced by Wellington United.[5][6]
Lower Hutt City Lower Hutt Fraser Park 2021 Wellington Phoenix Reserves
Wainuiomata Wainuiomata Richard Prouse Park 2021[9] Havelock North
Palmerston North Marist Palmerston North Central Energy Trust Arena 2017[10] Waterside Karori
Team Taranaki New Plymouth Yarrow Stadium 2017[11] Havelock North
Tawa Tawa Redwood Park 2015[12] Wellington United
Upper Hutt City Upper Hutt Maidstone Park 2014[13] Stop Out
Maycenvale United Hastings Hastings Sports Park 2012[14] Upper Hutt City
Gisborne City Gisborne Childers Road Reserve 2007[15] Withdrew end of season 2007. Replaced by Team Taranaki
Red Sox Manawatu Palmerston North Central Energy Trust Arena 2006[16] Team Taranaki
Raumati Hearts Raumati, Kāpiti Coast Weka Park 1999[17] League disbanded
Western Rangers FC Hastings St Leonard's Park 1999[18] League disbanded
Manawatu AFC Palmerston North Skoglund Park 1998[19] Promoted to the 1999 New Zealand island soccer leagues.
New Plymouth City New Plymouth Marfell Park 1996[20] NP City renames as Mt. Taranaki. Placed in Division One for 1997. Folded at season's end.
Seatoun Seatoun Seatoun Park 1996[21] Placed in Division One for 1997, withdrew from Central League in 1998.
Stokes Valley Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt Delaney Park 1996[22] Withdrew from Central League at end of season
Tararua United Upper Hutt Harcourt Park 1996[23] Placed in Division One for 1997, merged in 1998 to become Upper Hutt City Soccer
Moturoa New Plymouth Onuku Taipari Domain 1994[24] Napier City Rovers

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 Central League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League.

Season Top scorer(s) Club(s) Goals
2021 New Zealand George Ott Lower Hutt City 21
2022 New Zealand Hamish Watson Miramar Rangers 20
2023 New Zealand Matthew Brazier Petone 18

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 Central 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.

MVP Winners
Season Winner(s) Club(s)
2021[25] New Zealand Jonty Roubos Wairarapa United
2022[26] England Jonathan McNamara Napier City Rovers
2023[27] New Zealand Matthew Brazier Petone

Past Champions
Source:[1]

References
  1. Ruane, Jeremy. "Honours Board". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  2. "Chatham Cup". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  3. "New National League competition details confirmed". New Zealand Football. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  4. "Fixtures released for Northern, Central and Southern League 2022". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  5. "Wairarapa United withdraw from Central League division for 2022" (PDF). Wairarapa United. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  6. "Update to the 2022 Central League". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  7. Tweed, Mike (7 September 2023). "Whanganui Athletic relegated from Central League following big loss to Waterside Karori". Whanganui Chronicle. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  8. Tweed, Mike (8 December 2022). "Whanganui Athletic given unexpected Central League promotion for 2023 season". Whanganui Chronicle. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  9. Ruane, Jeremy. "2021 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  10. Ruane, Jeremy. "2017 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  11. Pilott, Roy (2 March 2018). "Taranaki's premier football team hangs up its boot". Stuff. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  12. Ruane, Jeremy. "2015 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  13. Ruane, Jeremy. "2014 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  14. Ruane, Jeremy. "2012 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  15. Ruane, Jeremy. "2007 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  16. Ruane, Jeremy. "2006 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  17. Ruane, Jeremy. "1999 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  18. Ruane, Jeremy. "1999 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  19. Ruane, Jeremy. "1998 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  20. Ruane, Jeremy. "1996 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ulimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  21. Ruane, Jeremy. "1996 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  22. Ruane, Jeremy. "1996 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  23. "1996 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  24. Ruane, Jeremy. "1994 Central League Fixtures and Results". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  25. "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.
  26. "Congratulations to the winners of the MVP awards in the Northern, Central and Southern Leagues #NZNationalLeague". New Zealand Football Instagram. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  27. "National League MVPs and Golden Boot winners named". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
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