2025 New Zealand National League
Football championship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2025 New Zealand Men's National League (known as the Dettol Men's National League for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth scheduled season of the National League since its restructuring in 2021; the 2021 National League was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in northern regions.[1] 32 clubs compete in the competition, with four qualifying from the Northern League, three qualifying from the Central League and two qualifying from the Southern League for the National Championship phase.[2][3] Auckland FC Reserves and Wellington Phoenix Reserves qualify automatically for the championship phase. Each team can field a maximum of four foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality.[4] Over the course of the season, each team must also ensure players aged 20 or under account for 10% of available playing minutes.[5]
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 15 March – 14 December |
| Champions | Auckland City |
| OFC Champions League | Auckland City |
| Matches | 56 |
| Goals | 189 (3.38 per match) |
| Best player | Owen Smith |
| Top goalscorer | Martín Bueno (9 goals) |
| Best goalkeeper | Adam Braman Nathan Garrow (3 clean sheets each) |
| Biggest home win | Western Suburbs 8–0 Coastal Spirit (5 October 2025) |
| Biggest away win | Western Suburbs 2–7 Wellington Phoenix Reserves (7 December 2025) |
| Highest scoring | Western Suburbs 2–7 Wellington Phoenix Reserves (7 December 2025) |
| Longest winning run | 4 matches Miramar Rangers Wellington Olympic Western Springs |
| Longest unbeaten run | 6 matches Auckland FC Reserves |
| Longest winless run | 5 matches Christchurch United |
| Longest losing run | 3 matches Auckland United Coastal Spirit Birkenhead United Western Springs |
← 2024 2026 → | |
The qualifying league fixtures were announced on 28 February 2025. The Northern League started on 15 March 2025 with the Central and Southern leagues starting on the 29 March. The Northern and Central leagues concluded on 30 August 2025 with the Southern League concluding on 31 August 2025.[6]
Qualifying leagues
2025 Northern League
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 15 March - 30 August |
| Champions | Western Springs |
| Relegated | Manurewa West Coast Rangers |
| Matches | 132 |
| Goals | 436 (3.3 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Michael Suski Emiliano Tade Morgan Wellsbury (14 goals each) |
| Best goalkeeper | Ryan Foord Oscar Mason (6 clean sheets) |
| Biggest home win | Tauranga City 7–0 Manurewa (24 May 2025) |
| Biggest away win | Manurewa 0–6 East Coast Bays (16 August 2025) |
| Highest scoring | Manurewa 4–5 Auckland United (3 May 2025) |
| Longest winning run | 6 matches Western Springs |
| Longest unbeaten run | 10 matches Western Springs |
| Longest winless run | 12 matches West Coast Rangers |
| Longest losing run | 6 matches Manurewa |
← 2024 2026 → | |
The 2025 Northern League is the 60th season, 5th season since the restructure of the leagues, of premiership football in the Upper North Island. The League started on 15 March and finishes on 30 August, with the top four side qualifying for the National League Championship along with the already qualified Auckland FC Reserves.
Northern League teams
Twelve teams are competing in the league – the top ten teams from the previous season, one team promoted from the NRFL Championship and Auckland FC Reserves. The promoted team is Fencibles United.[7] It is both Auckland FC Reserves's and Fencibles United's first season in the National League. They replaced Melville United and Hamilton Wanderers (both relegated after a four-year Northern League spell).[8]
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | Kiwitea Street | Sandringham, Auckland | 1st |
| Auckland FC Reserves | Fred Taylor Park | Whenuapai, Auckland | New entry |
| Auckland United | Keith Hay Park | Mount Roskill, Auckland | 5th |
| Bay Olympic | Olympic Park | New Lynn, Auckland | 6th |
| Birkenhead United | Shepherds Park | Beach Haven, Auckland | 4th |
| East Coast Bays | Bay City Park | Northcross, Auckland | 9th |
| Eastern Suburbs | Madills Farm | Kohimarama, Auckland | 3rd |
| Fencibles United | Riverhills Domain | Pakuranga, Auckland | 1st in Championship (promoted) |
| Manurewa | War Memorial Park | Manurewa, Auckland | 10th |
| Tauranga City | Links Avenue Reserve | Mount Maunganui | 7th |
| West Coast Rangers | Fred Taylor Park | Whenuapai, Auckland | 8th |
| Western Springs | Seddon Fields | Westmere, Auckland | 2nd |
Northern League personnel
| Team | Manager | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland City |  Paul Posa[9] |
Mario Ilich |
| Auckland FC Reserves |  Luke Casserly[10] |
Codey Phoenix[11] |
| Auckland United |  José Figueira[12] |
Ross Haviland[13] |
| Bay Olympic | Peter Smith[14] |
Callum McNeill[15] |
| Birkenhead United | Paul Hobson[12] |
Dino Botica[16] |
| East Coast Bays | Joe Hall[17] |
Louie Caunter[18] |
| Eastern Suburbs | Michael Built[19] |
Jake Mechell |
| Fencibles United | Rhys Ruka[20] |
Jake Moosbally[21] |
| Manurewa |  Tashreeq Davids[22] |
 Ryan Dougherty |
| Tauranga City |  Barry Gardiner[23] |
Campbell Higgins[24] |
| West Coast Rangers | Chad Coombes[25] |
Robert Dymond |
| Western Springs | Scott Hales[26] |
Reid Drake[16] |
Northern League managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Suburbs |  Brian Shelley (interim)[27] |
End of interim spell | 27 November 2024 | Pre-season | Michael Built[19] |
27 November 2024 |
| Manurewa | Dylan Burns |
End of contract | 21 December 2024 | Tashreeq Davids[22] |
21 December 2024 | |
| Auckland City |  Albert Riera[9] |
Stepped down | 21 January 2025 | Paul Posa[9] |
21 January 2025 | |
| Auckland FC Reserves | Inaugural | Luke Casserly[10] |
12 February 2025 | |||
Northern League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Springs (C) | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 44 | 30 | +14 | 42 | Winner of Northern League and qualification to National League Championship |
| 2 | Birkenhead United | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 55 | 33 | +22 | 41 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 3 | Auckland United | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 47 | 32 | +15 | 40 | |
| 4 | Auckland City | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 35 | 24 | +11 | 40 | |
| 5 | Eastern Suburbs | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 35 | 27 | +8 | 40 | |
| 6 | East Coast Bays | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 32 | 27 | +5 | 36 | |
| 7 | Tauranga City | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 42 | 38 | +4 | 30 | |
| 8 | Bay Olympic | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 26 | 36 | −10 | 24 | |
| 9 | Auckland FC Reserves[a] | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 23 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 10 | Fencibles United | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 37 | 49 | −12 | 21 | |
| 11 | Manurewa (R) | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 24 | 57 | −33 | 16 | Relegation to NRFL Championship |
| 12 | West Coast Rangers (R) | 22 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 26 | 46 | −20 | 15 |
Source: NRF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[29]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[29]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- Auckland FC Reserves gain automatic entry into the National League Championship phase and cannot be relegated due to the A-League Men requirements.[28]
Northern League results table
Northern League scoring
Northern League top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[30] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Suski |
Birkenhead United | 14 |
 Emiliano Tade |
Auckland United | ||
| Morgan Wellsbury |
Tauranga City | ||
| 4 | Colby Brennan |
Tauranga City | 11 |
 Guy-Frank Essome Penda |
East Coast Bays | ||
| 6 | Dylan Laing-McConnell |
Manurewa / Fencibles United | 10 |
| 7 |  Derek Tieku |
Bay Olympic | 9 |
| 8 | Myer Bevan |
Auckland City | 8 |
| Reid Drake |
Western Springs | ||
| Samuel Philip |
Birkenhead United | ||
| Ralph Rutherford |
Auckland FC Reserves | ||
Northern League hat-tricks
| Round | Player | For | Against | Home/Away | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8[31] | Deandre Vollenhoven | Auckland United | Manurewa | Away | 4–5 | 3 May 2025 |
| 9[32] | Samuel Philip | Birkenhead United | Fencibles United | Away | 3–5 | 10 May 2025 |
| 10[33] | Alec Death | West Coast Rangers | Manurewa | Away | 2–3 | 17 May 2025 |
| 13[34] | Matthew Ellis | Auckland City | Manurewa | Home | 5–2 | 21 May 2025 |
| 11[35] | Morgan Wellsbury | Tauranga City | Manurewa | Home | 7–0 | 24 May 2025 |
| 19[36] | Kian Donkers | Birkenhead United | Bay Olympic | Away | 1–5 | 9 August 2025 |
| 20[37] | Guy-Frank Essome Penda | East Coast Bays | Manurewa | Away | 0–6 | 16 August 2025 |
2025 Central League
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 29 March - 30 August |
| Champions | Wellington Olympic |
| Relegated | North Wellington |
| Matches | 90 |
| Goals | 398 (4.42 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Martín Bueno (19 goals) |
| Best goalkeeper | Scott Basalaj (9 clean sheets) |
| Biggest home win | Miramar Rangers 8–1 Waterside Karori (23 August 2025) |
| Biggest away win | Waterside Karori 1–9 Wellington Olympic (28 June 2025) North Wellington 0–8 Miramar Rangers (12 April 2025) North Wellington 0–8 Wellington Olympic (26 April 2025) |
| Highest scoring | Waterside Karori 1–9 Wellington Olympic (28 June 2025) Petone 7–3 North Wellington (19 April 2025) |
| Longest winning run | 8 matches Wellington Olympic |
| Longest unbeaten run | 11 matches Miramar Rangers |
| Longest winless run | 10 matches North Wellington |
| Longest losing run | 5 matches North Wellington |
← 2024 2026 → | |
The 2025 Central League is the 29th season, 5th season since the restructure of the leagues, of premiership football in the Lower North Island. The League starts on 29 March and finishes on 30 August, with the top three side qualifying for the National League Championship along with the already qualified Wellington Phoenix Reserves.
Central League teams
Ten teams are competing in the league – the top nine teams from the previous season and the one team promoted from the 2024 play-off between the winners of the Central Federation League and the Capital Premier. The winner of the play-off was Upper Hutt City.[38] This is their first season in the Central League, since New Zealand football's restructuring in 2021. They replaced Stop Out (relegated to the Central Federation League after two seasons in the Central League).[39]
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island Bay United | Wakefield Park | Island Bay, Wellington | 8th |
| Miramar Rangers | David Farrington Park | Miramar, Wellington | 4th |
| Napier City Rovers | Bluewater Stadium | Napier | 3rd |
| North Wellington | Alex Moore Park | Johnsonville, Wellington | 9th |
| Petone | Memorial Park | Petone, Lower Hutt | 7th |
| Upper Hutt City | Maidstone Park | Maidstone, Upper Hutt | 1st in Capital Premier (promoted via play-offs) |
| Waterside Karori | Karori Park | Karori, Wellington | 6th |
| Wellington Olympic | Wakefield Park | Island Bay, Wellington | 1st |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Fraser Park | Taitā, Lower Hutt | 5th |
| Western Suburbs | Endeavour Park | Whitby, Porirua | 2nd |
Central League personnel
| Team | Manager[40] | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Island Bay United | Martín Pereyra-García[41] |
|
| Miramar Rangers | Kale Herbert[42] |
Sam Mason-Smith |
| Napier City Rovers | Bill Robertson |
Jim Hoyle[43] |
| North Wellington | Stu Pyne[44] |
Gavin Hoy[45] |
| Petone | Jamie O'Connor[46] |
Hami Paranihi-Nuku |
| Upper Hutt City | Rory Fallon |
|
| Waterside Karori | Sam Morrissey[47] |
Harry Fautley |
| Wellington Olympic |  Paul Ifill |
 Ben Mata[48] |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Chris Greenacre |
Dylan Gardiner |
| Western Suburbs | Matthew Calvert |
Harry Fautley |
Central League managerial Changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island Bay United | Stu Jacobs[49] |
Sacked | 1 July 2025 | 8th | Martín Pereyra-García[41] |
8 July 2025 |
Central League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellington Olympic (C) | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 64 | 14 | +50 | 49 | Winner of Central League and qualification to National League Championship |
| 2 | Miramar Rangers | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 53 | 22 | +31 | 39 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 3 | Western Suburbs | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 57 | 24 | +33 | 34 | |
| 4 | Wellington Phoenix Reserves[a] | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 44 | 26 | +18 | 29 | |
| 5 | Napier City Rovers | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 45 | 24 | +21 | 28 | |
| 6 | Island Bay United | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 19 | |
| 7 | Waterside Karori | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 70 | −41 | 16 | |
| 8 | Upper Hutt City | 18 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 50 | −30 | 14 | |
| 9 | Petone | 18 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 20 | 47 | −27 | 13 | |
| 10 | North Wellington (R) | 18 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 76 | −47 | 10 | Relegation to Central League 2 |
Source: Capital Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[29]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[29]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- Wellington Phoenix Reserves gain automatic entry into the National League Championship phase and cannot be relegated due to the A-League Men requirements.[2]
Central League results table
Central League scoring
Central League top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[50] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Martín Bueno |
Miramar Rangers | 19 |
| 2 | Kieran McMinn |
Petone | 18 |
| 3 | Sebastian Barton-Ginger |
Western Suburbs | 12 |
| Hamish Watson |
Wellington Olympic | ||
| 5 | Sam Lack |
Napier City Rovers | 11 |
| Isa Prins |
Wellington Olympic | ||
| 7 | Kaelin Nguyen |
Western Suburbs | 10 |
| 8 | Jack-Henry Sinclair |
Wellington Olympic | 9 |
| 9 | Stephen Hoyle |
Napier City Rovers | 8 |
| 10 | Nicolás Bobadilla |
Miramar Rangers | 7 |
| Ihaia Delaney |
Waterside Karori | ||
| Tyler Freeman |
Western Suburbs | ||
| Sam Gates |
Miramar Rangers | ||
| Charlie Hale |
Island Bay United | ||
Central League hat-tricks
| Round | Player | For | Against | Home/Away | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3[51] | Martín Bueno[a] | Miramar Rangers | North Wellington | Away | 0–8 | 12 April 2025 |
| 4[52] | Kieran McMinn | Petone | North Wellington | Home | 7–3 | 19 April 2025 |
| 5[53] | Joshua Rudland | Wellington Olympic | North Wellington | Away | 0–8 | 26 April 2025 |
| 6[54] | Kaelin Nguyen | Western Suburbs | North Wellington | Home | 6–2 | 3 May 2025 |
| 6[55] | Martín Bueno[b] | Miramar Rangers | Island Bay United | Home | 6–1 | 3 May 2025 |
| 10[56] | Kieran McMinn | Petone | Waterside Karori | Away | 1–4 | 7 June 2025 |
| 12[57] | Isa Prins[b] | Wellington Olympic | Waterside Karori | Away | 1–9 | 28 June 2025 |
| Hamish Watson | ||||||
| 14[58] | Tyler Freeman | Western Suburbs | Waterside Karori | Away | 0–6 | 19 July 2025 |
| 15[59][60] | Stephen Hoyle | Napier City Rovers | Waterside Karori | Home | 6–0 | 3 August 2025 |
| Kaelin Nguyen | Western Suburbs | North Wellington | Away | 1–8 | 2 August 2025 | |
| 16[61] | Luke Stoupe | Petone | Island Bay United | Home | 5–0 | 9 August 2025 |
| 18[62] | Luke Supyk | Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Waterside Karori | Away | 0–7 | 30 August 2025 |
2025 Southern League
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 29 March - 13 September |
| Champions | Coastal Spirit |
| Relegated | University of Canterbury |
| National League Qualification | Coastal Spirit Christchurch United |
| Matches | 90 |
| Goals | 402 (4.47 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Garbhan Coughlan Riku Ichimura (16 goals each) |
| Best goalkeeper | Steven van Dijk (7 clean sheets) |
| Biggest home win | Christchurch United 10–0 University of Canterbury (24 April) |
| Biggest away win | Selwyn United 0–9 Christchurch United (18 April) |
| Highest scoring | Cashmere Technical 8–4 University of Canterbury (24 May) |
| Longest winning run | 8 matches Cashmere Technical |
| Longest unbeaten run | 11 matches Cashmere Technical |
| Longest winless run | 18 matches Selwyn United |
| Longest losing run | 8 matches University of Canterbury |
← 2024 2026 → | |
The 2025 Southern League is the 4th season of a full 10 team league, 5th season since the restructure of the leagues, of a South Island wide football league. The League started on 29 March and finished on 13 September, with the top two side qualifying for the National League Championship.
Southern League teams
Ten teams are competing in the league – the top nine teams from the previous season and the winner of the Southern League play-offs. The promoted team is Wānaka.[63] This is their first season in the Southern League. They replaced FC Twenty 11 (relegated to the Canterbury Premiership League after their second season in the Southern League).[64]
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashmere Technical | Garrick Memorial Park | Woolston, Christchurch | 1st |
| Christchurch United | United Sports Centre | Spreydon, Christchurch | 3rd |
| Coastal Spirit | Tāne Norton Park | Linwood, Christchurch | 2nd |
| Dunedin City Royals | Tahuna Park | Tainui, Dunedin | 7th |
| Ferrymead Bays | Ferrymead Park | Ferrymead, Christchurch | 5th |
| Nelson Suburbs | Saxton Field | Stoke, Nelson | 4th |
| Nomads United | Tulett Park | Casebrook, Christchurch | 6th |
| Selwyn United | Foster Park | Rolleston | 8th |
| University of Canterbury | English Park | St Albans, Christchurch | 9th |
| Wānaka | Recreation Centre | Wānaka | 2nd in Southern Premiership League (promoted via play-offs) |
Southern League personnel
| Team | Manager | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Cashmere Technical | Dan Schwarz[65] |
Tom Schwarz[65] |
| Christchurch United | Ryan Edwards[66][67] |
Joel Stevens[68] |
| Coastal Spirit | Robbie Stanton[69][70] |
Joe Hoole[71][72] |
| Dunedin City Royals | Blair Scoullar[73] |
Jared Grove |
| Ferrymead Bays | Alan Walker[74] |
James Deehan |
| Nelson Suburbs |  Ryan Stewart |
Lennon Whewell[75] |
| Nomads United | Matthew Jansen[76] |
Caleb Cottom |
| Selwyn United | Chris Brown[77] |
Jayden Booth |
| University of Canterbury | Ricardo Felitti |
Max McGuinness |
| Wānaka | Ben Sippola[78] |
Jake Thompson |
Southern League managerial changes
Note: Some cases use first/last match coached
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Canterbury | Ben Ellis |
Mutual Consent | 1 September 2024 | Pre-season | Ricardo Felitti |
Before 29 March 2025 |
| Wānaka |  Thomas van Hees[78] |
Stepped down | 6 October 2024 | Ben Sippola[78] |
Before 29 March 2025 | |
| Dunedin City Royals | Richard Murray[79] |
Stepped down | 29 October 2024 | Blair Scoullar[73] |
31 October 2024 |
Southern League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coastal Spirit (C) | 18 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 56 | 21 | +35 | 42 | Winner of Southern League and qualification to National League Championship |
| 2 | Christchurch United | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 66 | 13 | +53 | 40 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 3 | Cashmere Technical | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 59 | 29 | +30 | 39 | |
| 4 | Nelson Suburbs | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 42 | 27 | +15 | 30 | |
| 5 | Nomads United | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 44 | 35 | +9 | 28 | |
| 6 | Ferrymead Bays | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 33 | 32 | +1 | 28 | |
| 7 | Dunedin City Royals | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 39 | 31 | +8 | 26 | |
| 8 | Wānaka | 18 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 23 | 58 | −35 | 15 | |
| 9 | University of Canterbury (R) | 18 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 20 | 78 | −58 | 5 | Relegated to Canterbury Premiership[a] |
| 10 | Selwyn United | 18 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 20 | 78 | −58 | 3 |
Source: Mainland Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[29]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[29]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Southern League results table
Southern League scoring
Southern League top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[80] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garbhan Coughlan |
Cashmere Technical | 16 |
 Riku Ichimura |
Coastal Spirit | ||
| 3 | Lyle Matthysen |
Cashmere Technical | 14 |
| 4 | Flynn Holdem |
Nomads United | 12 |
| 5 | Shogo Osawa |
Christchurch United | 11 |
| 6 | Joshua Tollervey |
Christchurch United | 11 |
| Lennon Whewell |
Nelson Suburbs | ||
| 8 | Ben Polak |
Nelson Suburbs | 10 |
| 9 | Yuya Taguchi |
Cashmere Technical | 9 |
| 10 | Liam Cotter |
Coastal Spirit | 8 |
| Joel Stevens |
Christchurch United |
Southern League hat-tricks
| Round | Player | For | Against | Home/Away | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4[81] | Riku Ichimura | Coastal Spirit | Wānaka | Home | 6–0 | 18 April 2025 |
| 8[82] | Pero Forman | University of Canterbury | Cashmere Technical | Away | 8–4 | 24 May 2025 |
| Lyle Matthysen[b] | Cashmere Technical | University of Canterbury | Home | |||
| 9[83] | Shogo Osawa | Christchurch United | Wānaka | Home | 7–0 | 7 June 2025 |
| 10[84] | Yuya Taguchi | Cashmere Technical | Selwyn United | Home | 6–0 | 21 June 2025 |
| 12[85][86] | Flynn Holdem | Nomads United | Dunedin City Royals | Away | 3–4 | 12 July 2025 |
| Trevin Myers | Nelson Suburbs | University of Canterbury | Away | 1–6 | ||
| 14[87][88] | Jackson Cole | Christchurch United | University of Canterbury | Away | 1–5 | 2 August 2025 |
| Anthony Sprowson | Wānaka | Selwyn United | Away | 1–6 | ||
| 16[89] | Flynn Holdem | Nomads United | Selwyn United | Away | 2–6 | 16 August 2025 |
| 18[90][91][92] | Shogo Osawa | Christchurch United | Wānaka | Away | 0–7 | 31 August 2025 |
| Ben Polak | Nelson Suburbs | Selwyn United | Away | 2–5 | ||
| Wānaka | 1–5 | 13 September 2025 |
- University of Canterbury were relegated after withdrawing from the 2026 Southern League.
- Player scored 4 goals
Southern League own goals
| Round | Player | Club | H/A | Time | Goal | Result | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4[93][94] | Danny Kane | Cashmere Technical | Home | 7' | 1–1 | 3–3 | Nomads United | 18 April 2025 |
| Scott McKay | Selwyn United | Home | 39' | 0–4 | 0–9 | Christchurch United | ||
| 5[95] | Stuart Campbell | University of Canterbury | Away | 13' | 2–0 | 10–0 | Christchurch United | 24 April 2025 |
| 13[96][97] | Matthew Aitchison | University of Canterbury | Away | 27' | 2–0 | 4–2 | Ferrymead Bays | 19 July 2025 |
| Connor Neil | Dunedin City Royals | Away | 89' | 1–1 | 1–1 | Nelson Suburbs | 20 July 2025 | |
| 14[98] | Guy Reeves | Nomads United | Away | 44' | 3–1 | 4–1 | Coastal Spirit | 3 August 2025 |
| 15[99][100] | Oliver Cosgrove | Selwyn United | Home | 62' | 1–2 | 3–3 | University of Canterbury | 9 August 2025 |
| Matthew Aitchison | University of Canterbury | Away | 90+5' | 3–3 | Selwyn United | |||
| Ryan Hamilton | Wānaka | Away | 65' | 2–0 | 4–1 | Nomads United | ||
| 17[101] | Carter Smith | University of Canterbury | Home | 62' | 0–4 | 0–4 | Cashmere Technical | 23 August 2025 |
| 18[90] | Michael Johnson | Wānaka | Home | 86' | 0–6 | 0–7 | Christchurch United | 31 August 2025 |
| 90+2' | 0–7 |
Qualified clubs
There are 11 men's National League Championship qualifying spots (4 plus Auckland FC Reserves for the Northern League, 3 plus Wellington Phoenix Reserves for the Central League and 2 for the Southern League).[2]
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Auckland
Wellington
Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2025 National League season
Location of clubs in Auckland Region for the 2025 National League season
Location of clubs in Wellington Region for the 2025 National League season
| Association | Team | Position in Regional League | App (last) | Previous best (last) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern League (4 berths) | Western Springs | 1st | 2nd (2024) | 3rd (2024) |
| Birkenhead United | 2nd | 3rd (2024) | 1st[A] (2024) | |
| Auckland United | 3rd | 3rd (2023) | 3rd (2022) | |
| Auckland City | 4th | 4th (2024) | 1st[B] (2022) | |
| Central League (3 berths) | Wellington Olympic | 1st | 4th (2024) | 1st (2023) |
| Miramar Rangers | 2nd | 2nd (2022) | 10th (2022) | |
| Western Suburbs | 3rd | 2nd (2024) | 10th (2024) | |
| Southern League (2 berths) | Coastal Spirit | 1st | 2nd (2024) | 7th (2024) |
| Christchurch United | 2nd | 3rd (2023) | 3rd (2023) | |
| Auckland FC (automatic berth) | Auckland FC Reserves | Automatic qualification | 1st | Debut |
| Wellington Phoenix (automatic berth) | Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Automatic qualification | 4th (2024) | 5th (2024) |
Location
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | Kiwitea Street | Sandringham, Auckland | 1st[B] |
| Auckland FC Reserves | Fred Taylor Park | Whenuapai, Auckland | N/a |
| Auckland United | Keith Hay Park | Mount Roskill, Auckland | N/a |
| Birkenhead United | Shepherds Park | Beach Haven, Auckland | 1st[A] |
| Christchurch United | United Sports Centre[a] | Spreydon, Christchurch | N/a |
| Coastal Spirit | Linfield Park | Bromley, Christchurch | 7th |
| Miramar Rangers | David Farrington Park | Miramar, Wellington | N/a |
| Wellington Olympic | Wakefield Park | Island Bay, Wellington | 6th |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Fraser Park | Taitā, Lower Hutt | 5th |
| Western Springs | Seddon Fields | Westmere, Auckland | 3rd |
| Western Suburbs | Endeavour Park[b] | Whitby, Porirua | 10th |
- Played one game at English Park in St Albans.
- Played one game at Alex Moore Park in Johnsonville.
Personnel
| Team | Manager | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | Paul Posa[9] |
Mario Ilich |
| Auckland FC Reserves | Luke Casserly[10] |
Codey Phoenix[11] |
| Auckland United | José Figueira[12] |
Ross Haviland[13] |
| Birkenhead United | Paul Hobson[12] |
Dino Botica[16] |
| Christchurch United | Ryan Edwards[66][67] |
Joel Stevens[68] |
| Coastal Spirit | Robbie Stanton[69][70] |
Joe Hoole[71][72] |
| Miramar Rangers | Kale Herbet[42] |
Brad Whitworth |
| Wellington Olympic | Paul Ifill |
Ben Mata[102] |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Chris Greenacre |
Isaac Hughes |
| Western Springs | Scott Hales[26] |
Reid Drake[16] |
| Western Suburbs | Matthew Calvert |
Harry Fautley |
Championship phase
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellington Olympic | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 14 | +9 | 21 | Qualification to Grand Final |
| 2 | Auckland City (C) | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 14 | +5 | 20 | Qualification to Grand Final and Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Miramar Rangers | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 14 | +11 | 19 | |
| 4 | Auckland FC Reserves[a] | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 10 | +7 | 18 | |
| 5 | Western Springs | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 16 | |
| 6 | Birkenhead United | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 21 | −1 | 15 | |
| 7 | Christchurch United | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 19 | −3 | 14 | |
| 8 | Western Suburbs | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 21 | −2 | 10 | |
| 9 | Wellington Phoenix Reserves[a] | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 10 | |
| 10 | Auckland United | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 19 | −8 | 8 | |
| 11 | Coastal Spirit | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 23 | −18 | 7 |
Source: New Zealand Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals for; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record[29]
(C) Champions
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals for; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record[29]
(C) Champions
Notes:
- Auckland FC Reserves and Wellington Phoenix Reserves can not qualify for the Grand Final.[29]
Results table
Positions by round
The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. To preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for round 3, but then postponed and played between rounds 6 and 7, it is added to the standings for round 6.
| Grand Final |
Source: New Zealand Football
Grand Final
Referee: Calvin Berg[103]
Statistics
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[104][105] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martín Bueno |
Miramar Rangers | 9 |
| 2 | Sebastian Barton-Ginger |
Western Suburbs | 5 |
| Gianni Bouzoukis |
Wellington Olympic | ||
| Isa Prins |
Wellington Olympic | ||
| Jack-Henry Sinclair |
Wellington Olympic | ||
| 6 | Jonty Bidois |
Auckland FC Reserves | 4 |
| Reid Drake |
Western Springs | ||
| Gerard Garriga |
Auckland City | ||
| Dejaun Naidoo |
Auckland FC Reserves | ||
| Kaelin Nguyen |
Western Suburbs | ||
| Shogo Osawa |
Christchurch United |
Hat-tricks
| Round | Player | For | Against | Home/Away | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2[106] | Kaelin Nguyen[a] | Western Suburbs | Coastal Spirit | Home | 8–0 | 5 October 2025 |
- Player scored 4 goals
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets[107] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Braman |
Coastal Spirit | 3 |
| Nathan Garrow |
Auckland City | ||
| 3 | Scott Basalaj |
Wellington Olympic | 2 |
| Emmett Connolly |
Western Springs | ||
| Kai McLean |
Auckland United | ||
 Quillan Roberts |
Western Suburbs | ||
| Steven van Dijk |
Christchurch United | ||
| 8 | Jack De Groot |
Miramar Rangers | 1 |
| Matt Foord |
Wellington Phoenix Reserves | ||
| Jackson Gardner |
Birkenhead United | ||
| Eli Jones |
Auckland FC Reserves | ||
| Alby Kelly-Heald |
Wellington Phoenix Reserves | ||
| Eamonn McCarron |
Wellington Phoenix Reserves | ||
| Matt Oliver |
Miramar Rangers | ||
| Oli Sail |
Auckland FC Reserves | ||
| Keegan Smith |
Birkenhead United |
Awards
Goal of the Week
- Regional Phase
| Goal of the Week | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Week | Player | Club | Ref. |
| 1 |  Lucca Lim |
Auckland United | [108][109] |
| 2 | Ben Polak |
Nelson Suburbs | [110][111] |
| 3 | Ilan Mastrocola-Simon |
[112][113] | |
| 4 | Michael Suski |
Birkenhead United | [114][115] |
| 5 | Rohun Kawale |
[116][117] | |
| 6 | Anas Zara |
Manurewa | [118][119] |
| 7 | Bray Whitecliffe |
Petone | [120][121] |
| 8 | Max Chrétien |
Napier City Rovers | [122][123] |
| 9 | Lennon Whewell |
Nelson Suburbs | [124][125] |
| 10 | Evan Paez |
Manurewa | [126][127] |
| 11 | Noah Karunaratne |
Eastern Suburbs | [128][129] |
| 12 | Curtis Hughes |
Birkenhead United | [130][131] |
| 13 | Benjamin Perez Baldoni |
Auckland FC Reserves | [132][133] |
| 14 | Ryan Dougherty |
Manurewa | [134][135] |
| 15 | Round 4 of Chatham Cup's goals won | [136] | |
| 16 | Fletcher Pratt |
North Wellington | [137][138] |
| 17 | Derek Tieku |
Bay Olympic | [139][140] |
| 18 | Benjamin Perez Baldoni |
[141][142] | |
| 19 | Evan Paez |
Manurewa | [143][144] |
| 20 | Michael Suski |
Birkenhead United | [145][146] |
| 21 | Riku Ichimura |
Coastal Spirit | [147][148] |
| 22 | Ben Polak |
Nelson Suburbs | [149][150] |
- Championship Phase
| Goal of the Week | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Week | Player | Club | Ref. |
| 1 | Noah Karunaratne |
Christchurch United | [151][152] |
| 2 | Sebastian Barton-Ginger[a] |
Western Suburbs | [153][154] |
| 3 | Max Chrétien |
Coastal Spirit | [155][156] |
| 4 | Harry Newbould |
Birkenhead United | [157][158] |
| 5 | Tor Davenport-Petersen |
Wellington Olympic | [159][160] |
| 6 | Matthew Conroy |
Auckland United | [161][162] |
| 7 |  Haris Zeb |
Auckland City | [163][164] |
| 8 | Finn McKenlay |
Auckland FC Reserves | [165][166] |
| 9 | Isaac Bates |
Birkenhead United | [167][168] |
| 10 | Nicholas Gaze |
Auckland FC Reserves | [169][170] |
Notes:
| |||
Player of the Week
| Player of the Week | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Week | Player | Club | Ref. |
| 1 | Noah Karunaratne |
Christchurch United | [171] |
| 2 | Kaelin Nguyen |
Western Suburbs | [172] |
| 3 | Gerard Garriga |
Auckland City | [173] |
| 4 | Toshiki Makimoto |
Western Springs | [174] |
| 5 | Jack-Henry Sinclair |
Wellington Olympic | [175] |
| 6 | Jonty Bidois |
Auckland FC Reserves | [176] |
| 7 | Martín Bueno |
Miramar Rangers | [177] |
| 8 | Shogo Osawa |
Christchurch United | [178] |
| 9 | Joel Stevens |
Christchurch United | [179] |
| 10 | Martín Bueno |
Miramar Rangers | [180] |
Annual awards
| League | MVP[181] | Club | Top scorer[182] | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern League | Derek Tieku |
Bay Olympic | Michael Suski Emiliano Tade Morgan Wellsbury |
Birkenhead United Auckland United Tauranga City |
| Central League | Sam Lack |
Napier City Rovers | Martín Bueno |
Miramar Rangers |
| Southern League | Riku Ichimura |
Coastal Spirit | Garbhan Coughlan Riku Ichimura |
Cashmere Technical Coastal Spirit |
| National League | Owen Smith[183] |
Miramar Rangers | Martín Bueno[184] |
Miramar Rangers |
| Team of the season[185] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Emmett Connolly (Western Springs) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defenders | Christian Gray (Auckland City) |
Aidan Carey (Western Springs) |
Theo Ettema (Miramar Rangers) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Midfielders | Jack-Henry Sinclair (Wellington Olympic) |
Gerard Garriga (Auckland City) |
David Yoo (Auckland City) |
Tor Davenport-Petersen (Wellington Olympic) |
Owen Smith (Miramar Rangers) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Forwards | Martín Bueno (Miramar Rangers) |
Isa Prins (Wellington Olympic) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||