The Northern League, known as the Dettol Northern League for sponsorship reasons, is an amateur New Zealand association football competition. It is a top-tier competition during the winter season, and sits at step two after then.
The Northern League includes football clubs located in the northern part of the North Island from the Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. The competition was known as the NRFL Premier until 2021, when New Zealand's football league system was restructured. Clubs compete each season to qualify for the New Zealand National League.
History
The first four years (1965–1969) In the years 1965–1969, before the launch of a National Soccer League, the Northern League was the highest level competition available to the clubs in the northern region. When the National Soccer League was created in 1970, the Northern League became one of its feeder leagues.
In 1997 and 1998, when the National Soccer League operated as an invitation-only summer league, the Northern League again became the highest level club competition available to the clubs from the northern provinces.
Football Championship (2004–2021) With the demise of the club-based National Soccer League in 2004, the Northern League, now known as Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Men's Premier, became part of the highest level of football league competition in New Zealand for the third time in its history. The league runs between the New Zealand autumn and winter months (April to September), while the New Zealand Football Championship runs between the New Zealand spring and summer months (October to March).
National League (2021–) + Auckland City dominance Season Champions Runners-up 2021 Auckland City Auckland United 2022 Auckland City Birkenhead United 2023 Auckland City Eastern Suburbs 2024 Auckland City Western Springs 2025 Western Springs Birkenhead United Oceania Double winners Quadruple winners
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.
The first few season were dominated by Auckland City after replacing sister club Central United at the dissolution of the New Zealand Football Championship. Auckland City won the league four consecutive times in their first four seasons. In the 2023 season, Auckland City and Eastern Suburbs completed the season undefeated. This is the first time, since Eastern Suburbs did so in the inaugural 1965 season, and the first time two clubs have done so in the same season. Western Springs won their first title in 2025, breaking Auckland City's dominance since they joined the league.
Current Northern League structure Northern League (this page) NRFL Championship NRFL Northern Conference / NRFL Southern Conference NRF League One/ WaiBOP League One Community Leagues
Sponsorship On 31 January 2025, New Zealand Football agreed a multi-year sponsorship deal with cleaning brand Dettol for naming rights of the National League (including the regional leagues) from the start of the 2025 season.
The following list is of the official sponsors of the League, unless otherwise noted.
Current Kia Motors 2010–2012, (marketing partner) Lotto Sport Italia 2008–2012, (primary sponsor) ASB Bank 2010–2012, (marketing partner) Prime (New Zealand) 2010–2012, (TV channel), (TV partner) FTN – Family Television Network 2010–2012, (TV channel), (TV partner) TVNZ 2010–2012,(TV channel), (official TV sponsor) Sky Network Television 2009–present, (TV channel), (TV partner – For national & international broadcasting)
Current clubs
As of the 2026 season.
TeamLocationHome ground2025 season Auckland City Sandringham, Auckland Kiwitea Street 4th Auckland FC ReservesWhenuapai, AucklandFred Taylor Park 9th Auckland United Mount Roskill, Auckland Keith Hay Park 3rd Bay Olympic New Lynn, Auckland Olympic Park 8th Birkenhead United Beach Haven, Auckland Shepherds Park 2ndEast Coast BaysNorthcross, AucklandBay City Park 6th Eastern Suburbs Kohimarama, Auckland Madills Farm 5thFencibles UnitedPakuranga, AucklandRiverhills Domain 10th Manukau United Māngere East, Auckland Centre Park 1st in Championship (promoted) Melville United Hamilton Lake, Hamilton Gower Park 2nd in Championship (promoted)Tauranga CityMount Maunganui, TaurangaLinks Avenue 7th Western Springs Westmere, Auckland Seddon Fields 1st
Past champions
1965 – Eastern Suburbs 1966 – Eastern Suburbs 1967 – Ponsonby AFC 1968 – Mount Wellington 1969 – Mount Wellington 1970 – Mt Albert 1971 – Takapuna City 1972 – Hamilton Wanderers 1973 – North Shore United 1974 – Eden 1975 – Manurewa 1976 – Hamilton Wanderers 1977 – Courier Rangers 1978 – Manurewa 1979 – Hamilton Wanderers 1980 – Takapuna City 1981 – East Coast Bays 1982 – Papatoetoe 1983 – University of Auckland 1984 – Hamilton Wanderers 1985 – Takapuna City 1986 – Mount Maunganui 1987 – AFC Waikato 1988 – Takapuna City 1989 – Mount Roskill 1990 – Mt Albert-Ponsonby 1991 – Papatoetoe 1992 – Oratia United 1993 – Ellerslie 1994 – Mount Maunganui 1995 – Melville United 1996 – Lynn-Avon United 1997 – Mount Wellington 1998 – Metro F.C. 1999 – Tauranga City 2000 – Tauranga City 2001 – North Shore United 2002 – Glenfield Rovers 2003 – Glenfield Rovers 2004 – Central United 2005 – Bay Olympic 2006 – Bay Olympic 2007 – Central United 2008 – Central United 2009 – Melville United 2010 – East Coast Bays 2011 – Bay Olympic 2012 – Bay Olympic 2013 – East Coast Bays 2014 – Glenfield Rovers 2015 – Eastern Suburbs 2016 – Central United 2017 – Onehunga Sports 2018 – Onehunga Sports 2019 – North Shore United 2020 – season cancelled due to COVID-19 2021 – Auckland City 2022 – Auckland City 2023 – Auckland City 2024 – Auckland City 2025 – Western Springs 2026 – Birkenhead United
Performance by club Club Location Titles Last title Takapuna City Takapuna 4 1988 Bay Olympic New Lynn 4 2011 Central United Auckland 4 2016 Auckland City Sandringham 4 2024 Hamilton Wanderers Hamilton 3 1984 Mount Wellington Auckland 3 1997 East Coast Bays North Shore 3 2013 Glenfield Rovers Glenfield 3 2014 Eastern Suburbs Kohimarama 3 2015North Shore UnitedNorth Shore 3 2019 Papatoetoe Papatoetoe 2 1991 Mount Maunganui Tauranga 2 1994 Tauranga City Tauranga 2 2000 Melville United Melville 2 2009
Notable players This list consists of past or present notable players that have either represented an international team, or made more than fifty appearances at a professional level in their careers.
Chris Wood Danny Hay Jeremy Christie Cameron Howieson Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi Tim Payne Marco Rojas Ryan Thomas Ivan Vicelich Gareth Rowe Ross Nicholson Kayne Vincent Cole Tinkler Kris Bright Alex Greive Monty Patterson David Browne Tommy Semmy Faitalia Hamilton Micah Lea'alafa Jama Boss Mohamed Awad Alex Oikkonen Emiliano Tade Mario Bilen Silvio Rodić Sean Devine Marko Đorđević Albert Riera Víctor Espasandín
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 Northern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League. SeasonTop scorer(s)Club(s)Goals2021 Alex GreiveBirkenhead United192022 Derek TiekuHamilton Wanderers172023 Ryan de Vries Derek TiekuAuckland CityHamilton Wanderers192024 Jake MechellEastern Suburbs192025 Michael Suski Emiliano Tade Morgan WellsburyBirkenhead UnitedAuckland UnitedTauranga City142026 Monty PattersonBirkenhead United12
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 Northern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League. The records are up to date as of the end of the 2026 season. Most wins in a season: 20 – Auckland City (2022) Fewest defeats in a season: 0 Auckland City, Eastern Suburbs (both 2023) Birkenhead United (2026) Most goals scored in a season: 68 – Auckland City (2022) Fewest goals conceded in a season: 9 Auckland City (2023) Eastern Suburbs (2026) Most points in a season: 61 – Auckland City (2022) Fewest points in a season: 7 – Manukau United (2026) Highest goal difference: 55 – Auckland City (2023) Biggest home win: – Birkenhead United 9–0 Melville United (1 May 2021) Biggest away win: – Manukau United 0–7 Birkenhead United (1 April 2023) Highest scoring match: 10 goals Auckland City 7–3 Melville United (20 April 2024) Biggest title-winning margin: – 11 points 2021, Auckland City (46 points) over Auckland United (35 points) 2022, Auckland City (61 points) over Birkenhead United (50 points) 2026, Birkenhead United (58 points) over Eastern Suburbs (47 points) Smallest title-winning margin: – 1 point, 2025, Western Springs (42 points) over Birkenhead United (41 points)
Appearances Rank Player Years 1 Derek Tieku2021–2025 105 2 Shuiab Khan2021–2025 101 3 Reid Drake2021–2025 96 Ross Haviland2021–2025 5 Callum McNeill2021–2025 95 Leon Van Den Hoven2021–2025 7 Nicholas Milicich2021–2025 91 8 Dino Botica2021–2025 90 Sam Burfoot2021–2025 10 Kelvin Kalua2021–2025 89
Top scorers RankPlayerYearsGoalsAppsRatio1 Derek Tieku2021–2025611052 Emiliano Tade2021–20254565 Jake Mechell2021–202545754 Monty Patterson2021, 2023–202442535 Angus Kilkolly2021–202541796 Reid Drake2021–202534967 Ryan De Vries2021–202532598 Joshua Redfearn2021–202328569 Joseph Lee2023–20252686 Dawson Straffon2021–20252670
MVP Winners SeasonWinner(s)Club(s)2021 Alex GreiveBirkenhead United2022 Derek TiekuHamilton Wanderers2023 Derek TiekuHamilton Wanderers2024 Jake MechellEastern Suburbs2025 Derek TiekuBay Olympic2026 Dino BoticaBirkenhead United
References
External links National League website Auckland Football Federation Lotto NRFL Premier League Northern League Honours Board