The 2024 Mainland Football Leagues was the 25th season of football in the Mainland Football federation. There are four main men's leagues and four main women's leagues. The main men's leagues are Southern League, Canterbury Premiership League, Nelson Bays Premiership League, and Canterbury Championship League, respectively tier 2, 3, 3 and 4 among New Zealand men's league system. The main women's leagues are South Island League, Canterbury Women's Premiership League, Nelson Bays Women's Premiership League, and Canterbury Women's Championship League, respectively tier 2, 3, 3 and 4 among New Zealand women's league system.
Along with the main football leagues, there are two main regional knockout cups and a charity cup. The main knockout cups are English Cup for men's teams and Reta Fitzpatrick Cup for women's teams. The charity cup is the Whero Cup for Canterbury Premiership League's reserve teams, Canterbury Championship League and Senior Men's Divisions 1 & 2 teams.
All four of the Canterbury Premiership and Championship leagues are sponsored by New World, while both the Nelson Bays Men's and Women's Premiership leagues are sponsored by Nelson Pines.
Men's competitions National League
The 2024 National League was the 3rd season of the league. Ten teams competed in the league – the six teams from the previous season that qualified and four new team that qualified for league. The four qualified teams are Birkenhead United, Coastal Spirit, Western Springs and Western Suburbs. This is Coastal Spirit, Western Springs and Western Suburbs' first season in the National League and Birkenhead United's second season. They replaced, after failing to qualify, Auckland United and Christchurch United after two seasons, Manurewa and Petone after their fist season.
The Mainland Football teams in the National League are Southern League winners Cashmere Technical and runners-up Coastal Spirit. This is Cashmere Technical's third season competing in the National League Championship, while this is Coastal's first season in the league. Failing to achieve a top two placement, Christchurch United is the only other South Island team that has competed in the National League, this is their first season not qualifying for it having competed in the previous two seasons. National League table
Southern League
The 2024 Southern League was the 3rd season of a full 10 team league, 4th season all total. Ten teams competed in the league – the nine teams from the previous season and the winner of the Southern League play-offs also being the 2023 Canterbury Premiership League champions. The promoted team is University of Canterbury, after winning 5–3 win on aggregate against FC Nelson, then drawing 2–2 on aggregate against Roslyn-Wakari, with University of Canterbury won 6–5 on penalties. This is University of Canterbury's first season in the Southern League, they replaced Green Island after withdrawing at the end of the previous season, they spent three seasons in the league with their highest finish being 8th on all three occasions.
The Southern League sits above the Canterbury Premiership and Nelson Bays Premiership and is also overseen by Mainland Football and Southern Football, despite being run by New Zealand Football as part of the New Zealand National League. Southern League table
Southern League play-off series The final of the Southern League play-off series was a two-legged match that take place between the Mainland Football nominated club and Southern Football nominated club. Mainland Football will also have a two-legged play-off match between Nelson Bays Premiership League nominated club and Canterbury Premiership League nominated club. FC Nelson came third in the 2024 Nelson Bays Men's Premiership League, with the champions, Rangers, declining to participate and second-placed Nelson Suburbs Reserves ineligible to participate. Waimakariri United came first in the 2024 Canterbury Men's Premiership League. The winner of this play-off will face the Southern Football nominated club, Wānaka. Wānaka came second in the 2024 Southern Premiership League, with champions Mosgiel, declining to participate for the second year in a row. None of the clubs in the play-off series have previously participated in the Southern League with FC Nelson the only to have reached the Mainland Football Playoff Series play-off stage, losing to University of Canterbury in the 2023 play-off series.
Overview
Matches – Mainland Football Playoff Series
Matches – Southern League Playoff Series
Hurley Shield The Hurley Shield is a Challenge Shield, where only teams from Christchurch challenge for the shield. It is only up for challenge when the current holders plays a league home game, cups competitions are not challenge games. The challenging team need to win against the current holders in order for the shield to change hands; if the match is a draw, the current holders retain the shield.
The Hurley Shield current holders are Christchurch United, who defeated Coastal Spirit 0–1 in round 15 to claim the shield for the first time since July 2012. They have defended the shield twice, once against Selwyn United and once against rivals Cashmere Technical. Christchurch United have locked the shield up for the rest of the season, as there they have no more games left in the season.
Coastal Spirit before they lost the shield, they had defended it six times and were on a club record 22 games unbeaten in all competitions - Chatham Cup, English Cup and Southern League. Coastal's successful defenses were; twice was against Selwyn United (once in 2023 and once in 2024), once against previous holders and local rivals Cashmere Technical, once against local estuary rivals Ferrymead Bays, once against University of Canterbury and once against Nomads United.
Hurley Shield Matches Match 1
Match 2
Match 3
Match 4
Match 5
Match 6
Match 7
Match 8
Canterbury Men's Premiership League
The 2024 Canterbury Men's Premiership League was the 3rd season of premiership football, since the restructure of the leagues. The League started on 6 April and finished on 31 August, with the competition being a double round robin. Each team can field a maximum of five foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality. Temporary Dismissals will be in use for when a player commits a cautionable offence that is relevant to dissent and the length of the dismissal is 10 minutes starting from when play restarts.
At the end of season, the highest ranked team will be nominated to play in a Mainland Football Federation Playoff, two-leg home and away series, against the highest ranked nominated team from Nelson Bays Men's Premiership. This is to get the team that will compete against the highest ranked nominated team from Southern Premiership League in the Southern League Playoff, two-leg home and away series. The winner of Southern League Playoff will be promoted to Southern League, assuming they will have the correct club licensing before the season starts.
Between Round 8 and 10, Christchurch United U20 Reserves results against Nomads United Reserves and Selwyn United U20 Reserves both got over turned to a 3–0 loss from 3–1 and 4–0 wins respectively, after fielding an ineligible player. Cashmere Technical Reserves also fielded an ineligible player in two game, a 2–0 win over Parklands United and a 4–1 win over Burwood overturned to a 3–0 loss. As well as Ferrymead Bays U20 Reserves, they fielded an ineligible player in a 2-1 win over Selwyn United U20 Reserves, which also got overturned to a 3–0 loss.
Men's Premiership teams and personnel Ten teams competed in the league – seven teams from the previous season, three teams promoted from the Canterbury Men's Championship League. The promoted teams are in order from 1st to 3rd: Christchurch United U20 Academy, Selwyn United Reserves, Ferrymead Bays Reserves. University of Canterbury were promoted to Southern League, while Cashmere Technical U20 Reserves and Nomads United U20 Reserves are now in Canterbury Men's Championship League being replaced by Cashmere Technical Reserves and Nomads United Reserves.
TeamLocationHome groundManagerCaptain2023 seasonBurwood AFCBurwoodClare ParkDarren ClementsJamie Auld6thCashmere Technical ReservesWoolstonGarrick Memorial ParkAdam KeizerEwan Hyndman2ndChristchurch United U20 ReservesSpreydonUnited Sports Centre Paul HolocherJackson Blake1st in Championship(promoted)Ferrymead Bays U20 ReservesFerrymeadFerrymead Park Robert BarracloughSamuel Daeche3rd in Championship(promoted)Halswell UnitedHalswellHalswell Domain Ollie HawkinsIsaac Williams4thNomads United ReservesCasebrookTulett Park Atticus JonesHamish Gillett3rdParklands UnitedParklandsParklands ReserveHamish ParkerDafydd Parry-Griffiths7thSelwyn United U20 ReservesRollestonFoster ParkJohn MorganHenry Murfitt2nd in Championship(promoted)Waimakariri UnitedKaiapoiKendal Park Harry TrethowanBailey McCleary8thWestern AFCMairehauWalter ParkJames SmallAidan Crystal5th
Men's Premiership Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in the tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentNomads United Reserves Kevin PetersMutual consent11 October 2023Pre-season Atticus Jones21 December 2023Waimakariri UnitedMichael De BonoWaimakariri United Women's Head Coach29 November 2023Brad Eiffe29 November 2023Burwood AFCMark HilhorstMutual consent5 December 2023Darren Clements7 December 2023Cashmere Technical Reserves Adam SearleCashmere Technical 17 TDP Head CoachBefore11 January 2024 Adam KeizerAfter11 January 2024Waimakariri UnitedBrad EiffeWaimakariri United Men's Assistant Head CoachBetween 29 November 2023 - 27 March 2024 Harry TrethowanBetween 29 November 2023 - 27 March 2024Parklands UnitedGerard BrownUnknownBetween 25 May 2024 - 8 June 202410thHamish ParkerBetween 25 May 2024 - 8 June 2024Halswell United Jae Youn LeeMutual consentBetween 6 July 2024 - 13 July 20245th Ollie HawkinsBetween 6 July 2024 - 13 July 2024
Men's Premiership table
Christchurch United U20 Reserves won 4–0 in Round 8, but fielded an ineligible player. Result overturned to a 3–0 win for Selwyn United U20 Reserves. Christchurch United U20 Reserves won 3–1 in Round 10, but fielded an ineligible player. Result overturned to a 3–0 win for Nomads United Reserves. Cashmere Technical Reserves won 2–0 in Round 11, but fielded an ineligible player. Result overturned to a 3–0 win for Parklands United. Cashmere Technical Reserves won 4–1 in Round 12, but fielded an ineligible player. Result overturned to a 3–0 win for Burwood. Ferrymead Bays U20 Reserves won 2–1 in Round 16, but fielded an ineligible player. Result overturned to a 3–0 win for Selwyn United U20 Reserves. The match between Burwood and Waimakariri United was originally meant to be played in Round 9, but due to a player getting a serious injury in the 80th minute of the match, the match got confirmed to be replayed. The replay was moved to after Round 18. With the result of Round 18, the match was canceled with neither team being able to change league positions regardless of result. Men's Premiership results table
Men's Premiership scoring
Men's Premiership top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1Conor ClarkeHalswell United142Elijah AustenBurwood103Blake BamfordCashmere Technical Reserves8Danny LoneyWaimakariri UnitedJesse RuwhiuWestern6Thomas CostelloWestern7Samuel DeacheFerrymead Bays U20 ReservesJoe DaviesBurwoodJacob O'ConnellHalswell UnitedDaniel Ribeiro de AbreuWaimakariri United
Men's Premiership hat-tricks