The National Premier Leagues Northern NSW (NPL NNSW) is a semi-professional soccer competition in Northern New South Wales. The competition is conducted by Northern NSW Football, one of two organizing bodies in New South Wales (the other being the National Premier Leagues NSW organized by Football NSW). The league is a subdivision of the second tier National Premier Leagues Men's (NPLM), which sits below the national A-League Men. Prior to 2014, the league was known as the Northern NSW State Football League (1998–2013) and Northern First Division (1959–1997).
History After Sydney clubs broke away from the NSW Football Association in 1958, the Northern NSW Soccer Federation was created by Newcastle and Coalfields clubs.
A 12 team Northern First Division was established with: Adamstown, Awaba, Blacksmith Rangers, Cardiff, Cessnock, Charlestown United, Lake Macquarie, Mayfield United, Merewether Advance, Newcastle Austral, Wallsend and West Wallsend.
The league, jointly with other state-based leagues, formed the highest tier of soccer in Australia until the creation of a national league, the National Soccer League (NSL), in 1977.
In 1960 the league was downsized to 10 teams with the relegation of Charlestown United and Merewether Advance to Division 2.
In 1969 the league increased to 12 teams with Cardiff and Cessnock promoted from Division 2 and no relegations that season.
Between 1982 and 1991 the league fluctuated in size between 10 and 12 teams and settled at 10 teams in 1992 until 2009.
For the 2009 season it was decided by NNSW to downsize the league to 8 teams to improve the quality and give local players a chance to enter the A-league through the competition. Highfields Azzurri and Lake Macquarie City were both demoted to the Northern NSW State League. Clubs were assessed on a set criterion which included facilities/ground (30%), financial status (25%), management (20%), playing strength/coaching staff (15%) and development program (10%). An independent body, chaired by former NSW gaming minister Richard Face, was assigned to make the decision.
In 2012 the competition increased to 10 teams with the inclusion of the Newcastle Jets Youth and the promotion of Charlestown City Blues.
In 2017 the competition increased to 11 teams with Lake Macquarie promoted from the Northern League One.
The 2020 season, contracted back to 10 teams after Newcastle Jets Youth moved into the NPL New South Wales structure, playing in the Sydney-based competition.
In 2022 the competition increased back to 11 teams with the promotion of Cooks Hill United, from Northern League One.
In 2023 the competition increased to 12 teams with the promotion of New Lambton, from Northern League One.
Format The competition consists of twelve teams from around the Lower Hunter. As part of the NPL NNSWF participation conditions, in addition to the First Grade, clubs also field a reserves team and Premier Youth League teams.
The regular season takes place over 22 rounds, with each team playing each other at home and away. The team that finishes first at the end of the regular season are Premiers. The top 5 teams at the end of the regular season qualify for a finals series, with the winner of the Grand final being crowned as the NPL NNSW Champions. An example of the finals series format is shown below from the 2024 season.
Promotion and relegation In 2024 promotion and relegation between the NPL and Northern League One was re-introduced.
The team finishing last (12th) of the NPL will be automatically relegated to Northern League One.
The team finishing second last (11th) will enter the promotion and relegation playoffs which will follow the following format:
Playoff Semi-final 1 (played over 2 home and away legs): NPL 11th v Northern League One 4th
Playoff Semi-final 2 (played over 2 home and away legs): Northern League One 2nd v Northern League One 3rd
Playoff Final (played as a single leg): Winner of Playoff Semi-final 1 v Winner of Playoff Semi-final 2
The winner of the Playoff Final will be included in the NPL for the following season, with the losing team competing in Northern League One.
Clubs The following 12 clubs competed in the NPL NNSW for the 2026 season. ClubNickname(s)FoundedLGAGroundLocationCapacityAdamstown RosebudBuds1889NewcastleAdamstown OvalAdamstown1,500Belmont Swansea UnitedBelswans1935Lake MacquarieBlacksmiths OvalBlacksmiths500Broadmeadow MagicMagic1966NewcastleMagic ParkBroadmeadow1,500Charlestown AzzurriAzzurri1963Lake MacquarieLisle Carr OvalWhitebridge1,000Cooks Hill UnitedCookers1997NewcastleFearnley Dawes Athletic Centre / No.2 SportsgroundNewcastle West750Edgeworth EaglesEagles1892Lake MacquarieJack McLaughlan OvalEdgeworth1,000Lambton JaffasJaffas1957NewcastleArthur Edden OvalLambton1,000MaitlandMagpies1961MaitlandCooks Square ParkEast Maitland1,000Kahibah FCRams1924Lake MacquarieHarry Knight OvalGateshead300Newcastle OlympicWarriors1976NewcastleDarling Street OvalHamilton500ValentinePhoenix1994Lake MacquarieCB ComplexValentine300Weston BearsBears1907CessnockHunter City Motor Group StadiumWeston1,000
Honours
NNSW NPL SeasonPremiersChampionsScoreRunners up2014Newcastle Jets YouthLambton Jaffas2–0Weston Bears2015Edgeworth EaglesEdgeworth Eagles2–0Hamilton Olympic2016Edgeworth EaglesEdgeworth Eagles2–1Broadmeadow Magic2017Edgeworth EaglesLambton Jaffas2–0 Edgeworth Eagles2018Edgeworth EaglesBroadmeadow Magic3–0Edgeworth Eagles2019MaitlandEdgeworth Eagles2–0Maitland 2020Edgeworth EaglesEdgeworth Eagles1–0Maitland 2021Lambton JaffasCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia2022MaitlandLambton Jaffas1–0Maitland 2023Lambton JaffasLambton Jaffas2–1Broadmeadow Magic2024Broadmeadow MagicBroadmeadow Magic 2–2 (4–3)Edgeworth Eagles2025Broadmeadow MagicBroadmeadow Magic2–0Lambton Jaffas2026Broadmeadow MagicWeston Bears2–0Maitland
Northern First Division (1959–1997) SeasonPremiersChampionsScoreRunners up1959WallsendWallsend4–0West Wallsend1960CessnockCessnock2–0Wallsend1961AwabaAdamstown Rosebud2–0Lake Macquarie City1962Adamstown RosebudLake Macquarie City5–0Awaba1963WallsendAwaba4–1 Wallsend1964Lake Macquarie CityAwaba4–2Wallsend1965WallsendWallsend3–1Adamstown Rosebud1966Adamstown RosebudAustral United2–1 Adamstown Rosebud1967Austral UnitedLake Macquarie City6–2 Austral United1968Adamstown RosebudAdamstown Rosebud4–2Lake Macquarie City1969Hamilton AzzurriAustral United3–2Weston Bears1970Adamstown RosebudBelmont Swansea United4–3Adamstown Rosebud1971Weston BearsWeston Bears5–0Wallsend1972Weston BearsWeston Bears3–0Toronto Awaba1973Weston BearsWeston Bears4–1Adamstown Rosebud1974New Lambton SouthWeston Bears3–2Adamstown Rosebud1975Adamstown RosebudAdamstown Rosebud2–1 Weston Bears1976Adamstown RosebudAdamstown Rosebud3–0Wallsend1977Weston BearsWeston Bears1–0Edgeworth Eagles1978Edgeworth EaglesEdgeworth Eagles2–0Weston Bears1979Edgeworth EaglesHighfields Azzurri3–2Weston Bears1980MaitlandMaitland5–1Highfields Azzurri1981Highfields AzzurriHighfields Azzurri2–1Maitland1982Lake Macquarie CityWeston Bears2–0West Wallsend1983Central CoastWeston Bears3–0Central Coast1984CardiffWeston Bears0–0 (7–5)West Wallsend1985Belmont-Swansea UnitedWest Wallsend2–1Belmont-Swansea United1986West WallsendBelmont-Swansea United0–0 (4–2)West Wallsend1987Adamstown RosebudAustral United3–2Adamstown Rosebud1988Adamstown RosebudWest Wallsend2–1Adamstown Rosebud1989Adamstown RosebudWeston Bears1–0Adamstown Rosebud1990Adamstown RosebudWeston Bears1–1 (4–3)Adamstown Rosebud1991Adamstown RosebudAdamstown Rosebud1–1 (5–4)Weston Bears1992Highfields AzzurriWest Wallsend2–1Wickham Park Croatia1993Highfields AzzurriHighfields Azzurri3–0Lake Macquarie City1994Highfields AzzurriHighfields Azzurri2–1Wickham Park Croatia1995Highfields AzzurriWeston Bears5–0Wallsend1996Weston BearsHighfields Azzurri3–2Weston Bears1997Broadmeadow MagicHighfields Azzurri3–1Broadmeadow Magic
Northern NSW State League (1998–2013) SeasonPremiersChampionsScoreRunners up1998Edgeworth EaglesHamilton Olympic2–1Broadmeadow Magic1999Edgeworth EaglesHamilton Olympic4–0Adamstown Rosebud2000Edgeworth EaglesHamilton Olympic3–0Edgeworth Eagles2001Broadmeadow MagicHamilton Olympic2–0Highfields Azzurri2002Edgeworth EaglesHighfields Azzurri1–0 Edgeworth Eagles2003Broadmeadow MagicEdgeworth Eagles2–1Broadmeadow Magic2004Weston BearsBroadmeadow Magic3–1Weston Bears2005Broadmeadow MagicBroadmeadow Magic2–1South Cardiff2006Edgeworth EaglesLake Macquarie City4–1Edgeworth Eagles2007Lake Macquarie CityHamilton Olympic1–0Edgeworth Eagles2008Broadmeadow MagicBroadmeadow Magic0–0 (4–3)Highfields Azzurri2009Edgeworth EaglesHamilton Olympic2–1Valentine Phoenix2010Weston BearsEdgeworth Eagles4–2Weston Bears2011Broadmeadow MagicBroadmeadow Magic4–4 (4–3)South Cardiff2012Hamilton OlympicBroadmeadow Magic4–1Hamilton Olympic2013Broadmeadow MagicBroadmeadow Magic4–1Lambton Jaffas
Titles (1959–present) PremiersChampionsRunners UpEdgeworth Eagles13Weston Bears12Adamstown Rosebud10Adamstown Rosebud11Broadmeadow Magic9Weston Bears9Broadmeadow Magic10Edgeworth Eagles7Edgeworth Eagles8Weston Bears7Highfields Azzurri7Wallsend6Highfields Azzurri5Hamilton Olympic6Broadmeadow Magic5Lake Macquarie City3Adamstown Rosebud5West Wallsend4Maitland3Lambton Jaffas4Highfields Azzurri3Wallsend3Austral United3Lake Macquarie City3Lambton Jaffas2Lake Macquarie City3Maitland2Austral United1West Wallsend3Hamilton Olympic2Awaba1Awaba2Lambton Jaffas2Belmont-Swansea United1Wallsend2South Cardiff2Cardiff1Belmont Swansea United1Wickham Park Croatia2Cessnock1Cessnock1Austral United1Hamilton Azzurri1Maitland1Awaba1Hamilton Olympic1 Belmont-Swansea United1New Lambton South1Toronto Awaba1Newcastle Jets Youth1Valentine Phoenix1West Wallsend1
NPL Finals series representation Up to the 2019 season, one representative from each Member Federation participated in the NPL Championship, a knock-out competition to determine a national champion. Year Team Result2014Weston Workers Quarter Finalist2015Edgeworth Eagles Quarter Finalist2016Edgeworth Eagles Runners up2017Edgeworth Eagles Semi Finalist2018Edgeworth Eagles Quarter Finalist2019Maitland FC Semi Finalist2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.
Australian Championship representation From the 2025 season, one representative from each Member Federation participates in the Australian Championship. The Premiers from the NNSW NPL competition qualifies for this tournament. Year Team Result2025Broadmeadow Magic Group Stage (4th)2026Broadmeadow Magic
References
Notes
External links Northern NSW Football website Oz Football Northern NSW Statistics NNSW Football NPL old Statistics