The 2025 Mainland Football Leagues was the 26th season of football in the Mainland Football federation. There were four main men's leagues and four main women's leagues. The main men's leagues were 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 were 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 were two main regional knockout cups and charity cups. The main knockout cups were English Cup for all men's teams and Reta Fitzpatrick Cup for all women's teams, with generally only first teams participate. The main Canterbury men's charity cup is the Whero Cup for Canterbury Men's Championship League and Men's Division 1 as well as the reserve teams from Canterbury Men's Premiership League. The Canterbury women's charity cup is the Māwhero Cup for all Canterbury Championship League, Division 1 and Sunday League teams.
In the men's Southern League, all seven Canterbury teams were eligible to participate in the Hurley Shield, a challenge shield that has been running since 2007. In the women's South Island League, all five Canterbury teams were eligible to participate in the Hawkey Shield, that has been running since 2014.
All four of the Canterbury Premiership and Championship leagues were sponsored by New World, while both the Nelson Bays Men's and Women's Premiership leagues were sponsored by Nelson Pines. Both Canterbury challenge shields were sponsored by R&B Build.
Men's competitions Southern League
The Southern League sits above the Canterbury Premiership and Nelson Bays Premiership from the Mainland Region and the Southern Premiership League of the Southern Region. The league is run by New Zealand Football as part of the New Zealand National League, and is overseen by Mainland Football and Southern Football alongside New Zealand Football.
The 2025 Southern League is the fourth season of a full 10 team league, and the fifth season overall. Ten teams will compete in the league – nine teams from the previous season plus a promoted team. The promoted team from the previous season is Wanaka, who were the 2024 Southern Premiership League runners-up.
Wanaka won the Southern League Playoff series 9–4 on aggregate over Waimakariri United. 2025 is Wanaka's first season in the Southern League. They replaced FC Twenty 11, who finished last in the previous season. FC Twenty 11 spent two seasons in the league, finishing tenth in both seasons.
Southern League table
Southern League play-off series The final of the Southern League play-off series will be 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 first in the 2025 Nelson Bays Men's Premiership League. Halswell United came second in the 2025 Canterbury Men's Premiership League, with champions Christchurch United U20 Reserves ineligible to participate. The winner of this play-off will face the Southern Football nominated club, Northern. Northern came first in the 2025 Southern Premiership League. 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 twice, losing to University of Canterbury in the 2023 play-off series and Waimakariri United in the 2024 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 holders are Coastal Spirit, who defeated Christchurch United this season 0–2 in round 17 to claim the shield. They have defended the shield once since retaining it, and it was against University of Canterbury.
Christchurch United before they lost the shield, they have had five successful defense this season against; University of Canterbury, Cashmere Technical, Nomads United, Ferrymead Bays and Selwyn United.
Hurley Shield Matches Match 1
Match 2
Match 3
Match 4
Match 5
Match 6
Match 7
Canterbury Men's Premiership League
The 2025 Canterbury Men's Premiership League was the 4th season of premiership football, since the restructure of the leagues. The League started on 28 March and finished on 6 September, 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 first team will be nominated to play in a Mainland Football Federation Playoff, two-leg home and away series, against the highest ranked nominated first team from Nelson Bays Men's Premiership. This is to get the team that will compete against the highest ranked nominated first team from Southern Premiership League in the Southern League Playoff, two-leg home and away series. The winner of Southern League Playoff Series will be promoted to Southern League, assuming they will have the correct club licensing before the season starts.
Men's Premiership teams and personnel Eleven teams are competing in the league – nine teams from the previous season, one team promoted from the Canterbury Men's Championship League and one team relegated from the Southern League. The promoted team is University of Canterbury U20 Reserves, this is their first season in the league. The relegated team is FC Twenty 11, this is their second season in the league after winning the league in 2022.
TeamHome groundLocationManagerCaptain2024 seasonBurwood AFCClare ParkBurwoodDarren ClementsElijah Austen2ndCashmere Technical U20 ReservesGarrick Memorial ParkWoolstonJay BlakeEwan Hyndman3rdChristchurch United U20 ReservesUnited Sports CentreSpreydon Paul HolocherHarry Huxford7thFC Twenty 11Avonhead ParkAvonhead Simon Darby (joint) Marius Moeser (joint)Mustafa Rafyee10th in Southern League(relegated)Ferrymead Bays U20 ReservesFerrymead ParkFerrymead Robert BarracloughOliver McCosh8thHalswell UnitedHalswell DomainHalswell Ollie HawkinsConor Clarke4thNomads United ReservesTulett ParkCasebrook Atticus JonesHamish Gillett5thSelwyn United U20 ReservesFoster ParkRollestonJohn MorganJosiah Clark6thUniversity of Canterbury U20 ReservesEnglish ParkSt Albans Joshua DrayStuart Campbell1st in Championship(promoted)Waimakariri UnitedKendal ParkKaiapoi Jae Youn LeeBailey McCleary1stWestern AFCWalter ParkMairehauJames SmallChris Boomer9th
Men's Premiership Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in the tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentCashmere Technical U20 Reserves Adam KeizerMutual Consent31 August 2024Pre-seasonJay Blake29 March 2025FC Twenty 11 Ricardo FelittiSigned by University of Canterbury1 September 2024 Simon Darby (joint)6 December 2024Waimakariri United Harry TrethowanStepped down19 February 2025Jae Youn Lee 27 February 2025University of Canterbury U20 Reserves Ben EllisStepped DownBefore 29 March 2025 Joshua Dray29 March 2025
Men's Premiership table
Men's Premiership results table
Men's Premiership scoring Men's Premiership top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1Danny LoneyWaimakariri United152Luka FieldsCashmere Technical U20 Reserves13Tinashe MasiuakurimaChristchurch United U20 Reserves4Jakaya AninkCashmere Technical U20 Reserves12Conor ClarkeHalswell UnitedBenjamin WorrallNomads United U20 Reserves7Connor BrandonWestern11Daniel EdeHalswell United9Luke BarrettSelwyn United U20 Reserves9Zack KillickNomads United U20 Reserves
Men's Premiership hat-tricks Round Player For Against Home/Away Result Date2 Conor Clarke Halswell United Cashmere Technical U20 Reserves Away 4–4 3 Selwyn United U20 Reserves Home 3–1 4 Daniel Steffert Western FC Twenty 11 Home 9–0 6 Jakaya Anink Cashmere Technical U20 Reserves FC Twenty 11 Home 5–0 13 Danny Loney Waimakariri United Western Home 5–2 Benjamin Worrall Nomads United U20 Reserves University of Canterbury U20 Reserves Home 10–1 14 Daniel Ede Halswell United Selwyn United U20 Reserves Away 3–4 17 George Suter Waimakariri United Burwood Home 5–2 18 Parker Bradford Western University of Canterbury U20 Reserves Home 4–1 20 Benjamin Worrall Nomads United U20 Reserves Selwyn United U20 Reserves Away 1–4 21 Danny Loney Waimakariri United University of Canterbury U20 Reserves Home 4–2 22 Luke Barrett Selwyn United U20 Reserves FC Twenty 11 Home 8–0
Men's Premiership own goals RoundPlayerClubTimeGoalResultOpponentDate3Matheus Freure de AndradeNomads United U20 ReservesHome20'1–14–3Western4Callum MooresFerrymead Bays U20 ReservesAway16'1–01–1University of Canterbury U20 Reserves6Rico PradhanChristchurch United U20 ReservesAway12'1–13–2Ferrymead Bays U20 Reserves11Adam HarrisonWaimakariri UnitedAway21'1–12–1Christchurch United U20 Reserves22Luke PritchardFerrymead Bays U20 ReservesAway16'1–03–4Nomads United U20 ReservesLiam van den Bosch87'3–3Wiari RusbridgeWesternAway30'1–02–2Halswell United
Canterbury Men's Championship League
The 2025 Canterbury Men's Championship League was the 9th season of championship football, 3rd since the restructure of the leagues. The League started on 5 April and finished on 13 September, with league format being a double round robin.
Temporary Dismissals will be in use, when an official referee has been appointed, 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. For when an official referee hasn't been appointed, they will be known as Sin Bins. A sin bin is the same as a temporary dismissals, but another player is allowed to be subbed on to bring the team back to 11 players. After 10 minutes, the player is allowed to be used again.
The competition allows for each team to have a match day squad of 18 players, 11 starting and 7 substitutes. It also allows for each team to make unlimited substitutions from the 7 substitutes.
Men's Championship teams and personnel Ten teams are competing in the league – eight teams from the previous season, one promoted team and one relegated team. The team promoted is from Canterbury Division 1 and is Oxford, this its their first season in the league. The team relegated is from the Premiership League is Parklands United, this is their first season in the league since the restructure.