2026 NRFL Leagues
Football championship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 NRFL Leagues is the 62nd and 60th seasons respectively of the NRFL Championship and NRFL Conference, football competitions in New Zealand. Established in 1965, currently twelve teams compete in the Championship while 8 teams compete in the Northern and Southern sections of the Conference League.
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
← 2025 2027 → | |
Northern League
The Northern League sits above the two NRFL Divisions and is also overseen by Northern Region Football, despite being run by New Zealand Football as part of the New Zealand National League.
Twelve teams are competing in the league – the top ten teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the NRFL Championship. The promoted teams are Manukau United and Melville United.[1] Manukau United return after a two-year absence, while Melville United return after one. They replaced Manurewa and West Coast Rangers (both relegated after a three-year Northern League spell).[2]
Northern League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birkenhead United | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 4 | +17 | 25 | Winner of Northern League and qualification to National League Championship |
| 2 | Eastern Suburbs | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 3 | +10 | 20 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 3 | East Coast Bays | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 9 | +8 | 20 | |
| 4 | Auckland City | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 7 | +9 | 16 | |
| 5 | Auckland United | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 9 | +10 | 15 | |
| 6 | Fencibles United | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 18 | +4 | 13 | |
| 7 | Western Springs | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 16 | +2 | 13 | |
| 8 | Auckland FC Reserves[a] | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 17 | −2 | 9 | Qualification to National League Championship |
| 9 | Melville United | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 22 | −10 | 7 | |
| 10 | Tauranga City | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 18 | −9 | 6 | |
| 11 | Bay Olympic | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 16 | −10 | 4 | |
| 12 | Manukau United | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 34 | −29 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[4]
Notes:
- Auckland FC Reserves gain automatic entry into the National League Championship phase and cannot be relegated due to the A-League Men requirements.[3]
Championship
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 2026 – September 2026 |
← 2025 2027 → | |
Each team can field a maximum of six foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality.
Championship teams
Twelve teams are competing in the league – nine teams from the previous season, the two teams relegated from the 2025 Northern League and one team promoted from the NRFL Conference. The relegated teams were Manurewa and West Coast Rangers,[5] while the promoted team is Taupo.[6] Manukau United were promoted alongside Melville United, while Ngaruawahia United were relegated.[7]
| Team | Location | Stadium | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | Cambridge | John Kerkhof Park | 4th |
| Ellerslie | Ellerslie, Auckland | Michaels Avenue | 9th |
| Hamilton Wanderers | Chartwell, Hamilton | Porritt Stadium | 5th |
| Hibiscus Coast | Whangaparaoa, Auckland | Stanmore Bay Park | 6th |
| Manurewa | Manurewa, Auckland | War Memorial Park | 11th in Northern League (relegated) |
| Mount Albert-Ponsonby | Mount Albert, Auckland | Anderson Park | 11th |
| North Shore United | Devonport, Auckland | Allen Hill Stadium | 8th |
| Northern Rovers | Glenfield, Auckland | McFetridge Park | 3rd |
| Onehunga Mangere United | Māngere Bridge, Auckland | Māngere Domain | 7th |
| Takapuna | Takapuna, Auckland | Taharoto Park | 10th |
| Taupo | Tauhara, Taupō | Crown Park | 1st in Southern Conference (promoted via play-offs) |
| West Coast Rangers | Whenuapai, Auckland | Fred Taylor Park | 12th in Northern League (relegated) |
Championship personnel and kits
| Team | Manager | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge |  Jordan Shaw[8] |
|
| Ellerslie | Ben Fletcher[9] |
Seb Poelman[10] |
| Hamilton Wanderers |  Joseph Hinds[11] |
|
| Hibiscus Coast | Nathan Cranney[12] |
|
| Manurewa |  Tashreeq Davids[13] |
|
| Mount Albert-Ponsonby | Sammy Negash[14] |
Lewis Black |
| North Shore United | Dave Fahy[15] |
|
| Northern Rovers | Daniel Donegan[16] |
|
| Onehunga Mangere United | Paul Marshall[17] |
|
| Takapuna | Daniel Semp[18] |
|
| Taupo | ||
| West Coast Rangers | Chad Coombes[19] |
|
Championship table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Rovers | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 7 | +17 | 19 | Promotion to NRFL Premiership |
| 2 | Takapuna | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 9 | +7 | 16 | |
| 3 | Hamilton Wanderers | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 15 | |
| 4 | Taupo | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 13 | Possible promotion to NRFL Premiership[a] |
| 5 | West Coast Rangers | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 12 | |
| 6 | North Shore United | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 12 | |
| 7 | Hibiscus Coast | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 9 | |
| 8 | Onehunga Mangere United | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 16 | −4 | 9 | |
| 9 | Mount Albert-Ponsonby | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 8 | |
| 10 | Ellerslie | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 19 | −8 | 8 | |
| 11 | Cambridge | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 19 | −6 | 7 | |
| 12 | Manurewa | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 22 | −13 | 4 | Possible relegation to NRFL Conference[b] |
Championship results table
Northern Conference
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 2026 - September 2026 |
← 2025 2027 → | |
Northern Conference teams
Eight teams are competing in the league – seven teams from the previous season and the champions of the 2025 NRF League One. The promoted team is Te Atatu.[22] Franklin United were relegated.[23]
| Team | Location | Stadium | 2025 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany United | Albany, Auckland | Rosedale Park | 6th |
| Beachlands Maraetai | Beachlands, Auckland | Te Puru Park | 7th |
| Bucklands Beach | Bucklands Beach | Lloyd Elsmore Park | 3rd |
| Central United | Sandringham, Auckland | Kiwitea Street | 2nd |
| Metro | Mount Albert, Auckland | Phyllis Street Reserve | 5th |
| Northland | Morningside, Whangarei | Morningside Park | 1st |
| Te Atatu | Te Atatū Peninsula, Auckland | Te Atatū Peninsula Park | 1st in NRF League One (promoted) |
| Waitemata | Te Atatū South, Auckland | McLeod Park | 4th |
- Possible promotion depending on the number of teams from the Northern League added to the 2027 New Zealand National League.
- Possible relegation depending on the number of teams from the Northern League added to the 2027 New Zealand National League.
Northern Conference table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 7 | Promotion to NRFL Championship |
| 2 | Waitemata | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 6 | |
| 3 | Bucklands Beach | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | |
| 4 | Metro | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 5 | |
| 5 | Central United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 4 | |
| 6 | Beachlands Maraetai | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 | |
| 7 | Albany United | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 2 | |
| 8 | Te Atatu | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 0 | Relegation to NRF League One |
Northern Conference results table
Southern Conference
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 2026 - September 2026 |
← 2025 2027 → | |
Southern Conference teams
Eight teams are competing in the league – six teams from the previous season, one team relegated from the NRFL Championship and one team from WaiBOP League One. The relegated team is Ngaruawahia United,[7] while the promoted side is yet to be confirmed. West Hamilton United were relegated.
| Team | Location | Stadium | 2025 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claudelands Rovers | Claudelands, Hamilton | Galloway Park | 4th |
| Matamata Swifts | Matamata | Matamata Domain | 6th |
| Ngaruawahia United | Ngāruawāhia | Centennial Park, Ngāruawāhia | 12th in Championship (relegated) |
| Ngongotahā Lakes[A] | Ngongotahā, Rotorua | Tamarahi Reserve | 7th |
| Northern United | Rototuna North, Hamilton | Korikori Park | 2nd |
| Otumoetai | Matua, Tauranga | Fergusson Park | 3rd |
| Papamoa | Papamoa Beach, Papamoa | Gordon Spratt Reserve | 5th |
| TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
- Ngongotaha AFC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lakes FC at the end of the 2022 season to have a combined team for the 2023 season onwards.[25]
Southern Conference table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ngaruawahia United | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 9 | Promotion to NRFL Championship |
| 2 | Papamoa | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 7 | |
| 3 | West Hamilton United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 4 | |
| 4 | Matamata Swifts | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 4 | Relegation to WaiBOP League One |
| 5 | Northern United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| 6 | Claudelands Rovers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 3 | |
| 7 | Otumoetai | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 | |
| 8 | Ngongotahā Lakes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | −10 | 0 |
Southern Conference results table
Women's Premiership
The NRFL Women's Premiership acts as a qualifier for the New Zealand Women's National League.
Eight teams are competing in the league – the top seven teams from the previous season and the promoted side from the 2025 NRFL Championship. The promoted team is Franklin United as winners of the NRFL Championship.[27] They replaced Northern Rovers.[28]
Women's Premiership table
2026 New Zealand Women's National League
Women's Championship
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 2026 – September 2026 |
← 2025 2027 → | |
Women's Championship teams
Eight teams are competing in the league – six teams from the previous season, the one team relegated from the 2025 NRFL Premiership, Hibiscus Coast,[29] and one team promoted from the NRF Women's Conference as play-off winners. The promoted team is Uni-Mount Bohemian.[30] Melville United were promoted,[31] while Central United were relegated.[30]
| Team | Location | Stadium | 2025 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birkenhead United | Beach Haven, Auckland | Shepherds Park | 4th |
| Cambridge | Cambridge | John Kerkhof Park | 5th |
| Franklin United | Drury | Drury Sports Grounds | 2nd |
| Hibiscus Coast | Whangaparāoa, Auckland | Stanmore Bay Park | 8th in NRFL Women's Premiership (relegated) |
| Northern Rovers | Glenfield, Auckland | McFetridge Park | 7th |
| Onehunga Mangere United | Māngere Bridge, Auckland | Māngere Domain | 6th |
| Onehunga Sports | Onehunga, Auckland | Waikaraka Park | 3rd |
| Uni-Mount Bohemian | Mount Wellington, Auckland | Bill McKinlay Park | 1st in NRF League One (promoted via play-offs) |
Women's Championship table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birkenhead United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion to NRFL Women's Premiership |
| 2 | Cambridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Franklin United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Hibiscus Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Northern Rovers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Onehunga Mangere United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Onehunga Sports | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Uni-Mount Bohemian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to NRF Women's Conference/WaiBOP W-League |