Southern League (New Zealand)#Current clubs

{{About|the men's national regional league|the women's league South Island league|Women's South Island League (New Zealand)|the Southern Football premier leauge|Southern Premier League (New Zealand)}}

{{Infobox football league

| name = Southern League

| image = New Zealand Southern League.png

| country = {{flagicon|New Zealand}} New Zealand

| confed = OFC (Oceania)

| founded = {{start date and age|1968}}
Revived: {{start date and age|2021}}

| folded = {{start date and age|1999}}

| teams = 10

| feeds = National League

| relegation = Canterbury Premiership
Nelson Bays Premiership
Southern Premiership

| levels = 2

| domest_cups = Chatham Cup

| league_cup = English Cup (Mainland Football teams only)

| champions = Cashmere Technical (2nd title)

| season = 2024

| most successful club = Cashmere Technical
Christchurch United
(2 titles each)

| most_appearances =

| top_goalscorer = Garbhan Coughlan (85)

| website = [https://www.mainlandfootball.co.nz Mainland Football]

| tv = FIFA+ (selected matches)

| current = 2025 Southern League

}}

The Southern League, known as the Dettol Southern League for sponsorship reasons, is a competition organized by the New Zealand Football, run by the Mainland Football and the Southern Football, for association football clubs located in the South Island of New Zealand. It is a New Zealand top-tier competition during the winter season, and sits at step two overall under the summer National League.

History

= The original Southern League =

The first Southern League was formed in 1968, before the launch of a National Soccer League, the Southern League was the highest level competition available to the clubs in the South Island. When the National Soccer League was created in 1970, the Southern League became one of its feeder leagues and continued to be a feeder league until it folded in 1999.

After the first four seasons as Div 1 and Div 2, the competition consistently featured two structures as either Div 1 North/South or Div 1 and Div 2 North/South, for cost reasons.

= South Island Football Championship =

In 2008, the Mainland and FootballSouth federations reintroduced the Southern League concept through the South Island Football Championship, to ensure that at the end of each season, there would be a champion club in the South Island. This compitition would run from 2008 to 2017, with an unexpected return in 2020.

Initially, the competition featured the champions and runners-up from the respective Premier League competitions. However, following a hiatus in 2010, the format was revised to a single-match fixture between the champions of the Mainland Premier League and FootballSouth Premier League, with the hosting venue alternating between the two federations each year. Cashmere Technical was the most successful team in the Championship winning it 4 times.

= Southern Football League =

In 2018, both Mainland Football and FootballSouth reintroduced the concept Southern League as a league instead of a final. The Mainland Premier League played a double round robbin, while the FootballSouth Premier League played a single round robbin. The top 5 teams of Mainland and top 3 teams of FootballSouth Premier League advanced onto the Southern Football League where they played a single round robbin, where Cashmere Technical won the title.

The same happened in 2019, with the top 5 teams of Mainland and top 3 teams of FootballSouth Premier League advanced onto the Southern Football League where they played a single round robbin, with Nelson Suburbs winning the league on the final day.

= Revival of the Southern League =

Season	Champions	Runners-up
class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;float:right;margin-left:1em" \|+ Cashmere/United dominance
2021	style="background:#FFE34D"\| Cashmere Technical	style="background:#FFFFFF"\| Selwyn United
2022	style="background:#FFFFFF"\| Christchurch United	style="background:#FFFF8D"\| Cashmere Technical
2023	style="background:#FFE34D"\| Christchurch United	style="background:#FFFFFF"\| Cashmere Technical
2024	style="background:#FFFFFF"\| Cashmere Technical	style="background:#FFFF8D"\| Coastal Spirit
class="sortbottom" \| colspan="3"\|{{color box\|#FFFF8D}} English Cup winners {{color box\|#FFE34D}} Mainland Treble 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.{{cite web |title=New National League competition details confirmed |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/100552 |website=New Zealand Football |access-date=17 March 2021 |date=26 February 2021}} For the Southern League, the two existing competitions run in the South Island (Mainland Premier League and FootballSouth Premier League) play their original league seasons for the teams to then qualify for a place in the newly formed competition.{{cite web |title=Who is in the running for Southern League qualification? |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/103820 |website=New Zealand Football |access-date=23 May 2021}} Five teams from Mainland Premiership, which covers the top of the South Island to Christchurch and three teams from FootballSouth Premier League, covering from below Christchurch to the bottom of the South Island, will qualify. The competition will start on the 17 July 2021.

Cashmere Technical were the inaugural Southern League winners whilst winning the Chatham Cup and the English Cup, with Selwyn United being the runners up. Both teams were set to take park of the new National League competition, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic New Zealand Football announced a change in plans to the Championship phase of the 2021 competition due to COVID-19 alert levels.{{cite web |title=Format unveiled to play national competitions under COVID-19 limitations |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/108768 |website=New Zealand Football |access-date=27 February 2025 |language=en |date=8 October 2021}} The Championship phase was to be split up into two 'Hubs', the Auckland Hub and the South Hub, with both team to play in the South Hub against the Central League qualifications. Later on the 2 November, after confirmation that the alert levels would not change to allow the Auckland and Waikato teams to play any further part in the National Competition, New Zealand Football announced that they were cancelling the reminder of the National League. In its place, they instead decided on a one-off interregional competition, the National League: South Central Series.{{cite web |title=National League Championship cancelled, new interregional competition announced and Chatham Cup moved to 2022 |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/109383 |website=New Zealand Football |access-date=27 February 2025}} Cashmere went on to finish third, one point off the grand final, and Selwyn finished sixth on one point. Cashmere's Garbhan Coughlan was the regions top scorer winning the golden boot with three goals in the National League and seven in the Southern League tied with Christchurch United's Edward Wilkinson.

The next two season were won by Christchurch United with Cashmere Technical being the runners up on both occasions. Cashmere finished higher than Christchurch United in the 2022 National League, with Christchurch United finishing 3rd in the 2023 season. Christchurch United competed again in the National League after 30 years, then in 2023 they completed the treble winning the Chatham Cup and the English Cup 32 years after winning their last treble. Garbhan Coughlan was the regions top scorer winning the golden boot again with nine and eleven goals respectively. In 2022, Cashmere won the English Cup against Ferrymead Bays.

In the most recent season, Cashmere Technical won the league, with Coastal Spirit finishing runners up. This was Coastal's best finish in the league after finishing 3rd in the previous year. Coastal finished higher than Cashmere in their debut season in the National League. With always, Garbhan Coughlan won the golden boot with scoring eight goals. Coastal's season got better as they reached the quarter and semi finals of the Chatham Cup for the very first time, then they won the English Cup beating Cashmere 4–0 in the final.

Current clubs

{{Location map+|New Zealand South Island|AlternativeMap=New Zealand South Island (location map).svg|width=400|caption=Location of clubs in South Island for the 2025 Southern League season|places=

{{location map~|New Zealand South Island|lat=-43.530459|long=172.635102|label_size=80|label=Christchurch|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=right}}

{{location map~|New Zealand South Island|lat=-45.863274|long=170.526950|label_size=80|label={{nowrap|Dunedin City Royals}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=left}}

{{location map~|New Zealand South Island|lat=-41.327872|long=173.213073|label_size=80|label={{nowrap|Nelson Suburbs}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=left}}

{{location map~|New Zealand South Island|lat=-44.7 |long=169.15 |label_size=80|label=Wanaka|mark=Red pog.svg|position=left}}

{{location map~|New Zealand South Island|lat=-43.608026|long=172.386245|label_size=80|label={{nowrap|Selwyn United}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|New Zealand South Island|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png|marksize=1|lat=-41|long=167|position=right

|label_size=80|label=Christchurch teams:

}}

{{Location map+|New Zealand Christchurch district|width=300|caption=Location of clubs in Christchurch District for the 2025 Southern League season|places=

{{location map~|New Zealand Christchurch district|lat=-43.544754|long=172.678729|label_size=80|label={{nowrap|Cashmere Technical}}|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=right}}

{{location map~|New Zealand Christchurch district|lat=-43.515202|long=172.528360|label_size=80|label=Christchurch United|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=left}}

{{location map~|New Zealand Christchurch district|lat=-43.526281|long=172.690432|label_size=80|label={{nowrap|Coastal Spirit}}|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=right}}

{{location map~|New Zealand Christchurch district|lat=-43.567840|long=172.707460|label_size=80|label={{nowrap|Ferrymead Bays}}|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{location map~|New Zealand Christchurch district|lat=-43.473716|long=172.593049|label_size=80|label={{nowrap|Nomads United}}|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=right}}

{{location map~|New Zealand Christchurch district|lat=-43.521063|long=172.575369|label_size=80|label=University of Canterbury|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=bottom}}

}}

As of 2025 season

{{Cite web|url=https://www.mff.nz/COMPETITIONS-2/Senior-Competitions/Southern-League-1|title=Southern League|website=www.mff.nz}}

class="wikitable sortable" !Team!!Home ground!!Location!!2024 season
Cashmere Technical	Garrick Memorial Park	Woolston, Christchurch	align="center"\| 1st
Christchurch United	United Sports Centre	Spreydon, Christchurch	align="center"\| 3rd
Coastal Spirit	Tāne Norton Park	Linwood, Christchurch	align="center"\| 2nd
Dunedin City Royals	Football Turf	Dunedin North, Dunedin	align="center"\| 7th
Ferrymead Bays	Ferrymead Park	Ferrymead, Christchurch	align="center"\| 5th
Nelson Suburbs	Saxton Field	Stoke, Nelson	align="center"\| 4th
Nomads United	Tulett Park	Casebrook, Christchurch	align="center"\| 6th
Selwyn United	Foster Park	Rolleston	align="center"\| 8th
University of Canterbury	Ilam Fields	Ilam, Christchurch	align="center"\| 9th
Wanaka	Wānaka Recreation Centre	Wanaka	align="center"\| 2nd in Southern Premier League (promoted via play-offs)

= Promotion/Relegation =

As of 2025 season

Season	Relegated Club	Federation	Promoted Club
class="wikitable"
2021	Otago University	rowspan=3\| Southern Football	Ferrymead Bays Mosgiel Nomads United
2022	Mosgiel	FC Twenty 11
2023	Green Island	University of Canterbury
2024	FC Twenty 11	Mainland Football	Wanaka

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.{{cite web |date=31 January 2025 |title=Dettol Become Major Partner of New Zealand Football and Official Naming Partner of the Dettol National League |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/149538?newsfeedId=1275538 |website=New Zealand Football |access-date=27 February 2025 }}

Media coverage

In September 2023, New Zealand signed a deal to have all National League games streamed for free on FIFA+ worldwide. This includes select games of the qualifying league games as well.{{cite web |date=22 September 2023 |title=New Zealand Football signs long-term partnership with FIFA+ to make international friendlies and domestic competitions free to watch |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/133238 |website=New Zealand Football |access-date=7 November 2023 }}{{cite web |date=16 October 2023 |title=How to watch New Zealand football live on FIFA+ |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/news/articles/how-to-watch-new-zealand-football-live-on-fifa-plus |website=FIFA |access-date=7 November 2023 }} On 8 May 2024, New Zealand Football announced they had partnered with Sportway to continue broadcasting on FIFA+. 4K Sportway cameras have begun to be installed at grounds as of May 2024 with plans to broadcast over 200 games for the 2024 season.{{cite web |date=8 May 2024 |title=New Zealand Football partner with Sportway to broadcast over 200 live domestic games in 2024 |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/140637?newsfeedId=1928623 |website=New Zealand Football |access-date=12 May 2024 }}

Awards

The following lists are each seasons Top Goalscorer and Most Valuable Player from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Southern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" \|+ Top Scorers
Season !Top scorer(s) !Club(s) !Goals
2021{{efn\|Garbhan Coughlan was awarded the award due to playing fewer matches}} \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|IRL}} Garbhan Coughlan {{flagicon\|NZL}} Edward Wilkinson \|style="text-align:left;"\|Cashmere Technical Christchurch United \|7
2022 \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|IRL}} Garbhan Coughlan \|style="text-align:left;"\|Cashmere Technical \|24
2023{{cite web\|title=National League MVPs and Golden Boot winners named \|url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/133201?newsfeedId=1275622 \|publisher=New Zealand Football \|access-date=21 September 2023}} \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|NZL}} Samuel Philip \|style="text-align:left;"\|Christchurch United \|29
2024{{cite web\|title=National League - Golden Boot 🥇 The regional phase has come to an end and here are the top scorers from each League 🔥 \|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C_aAGaMSO9M/ \|publisher=New Zealand Football \|via=Instagram \|access-date=2 September 2024}} \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|IRL}} Garbhan Coughlan \|style="text-align:left;"\|Cashmere Technical \|26

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Top Scorers

Season

!Top scorer(s)

!Club(s)

!Goals

2021{{efn|Garbhan Coughlan was awarded the award due to playing fewer matches}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|IRL}} Garbhan Coughlan
{{flagicon|NZL}} Edward Wilkinson

|style="text-align:left;"|Cashmere Technical
Christchurch United

2022

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|IRL}} Garbhan Coughlan

|style="text-align:left;"|Cashmere Technical

|24

2023{{cite web|title=National League MVPs and Golden Boot winners named |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/133201?newsfeedId=1275622 |publisher=New Zealand Football |access-date=21 September 2023}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Samuel Philip

|style="text-align:left;"|Christchurch United

|29

2024{{cite web|title=National League - Golden Boot 🥇 The regional phase has come to an end and here are the top scorers from each League 🔥 |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C_aAGaMSO9M/ |publisher=New Zealand Football |via=Instagram |access-date=2 September 2024}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|IRL}} Garbhan Coughlan

|style="text-align:left;"|Cashmere Technical

|26

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" \|+ MVP Winners
Season !Winner(s) !Club(s)
2021{{cite web\|title=Goal-filled final weekend in the South Central Series as Miramar Rangers (men) and Southern United (women) crowned winners \|url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/110526\|publisher=NZFootball.co.nz\|access-date=26 January 2022}} \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|NZL}} Pieter-Taco Bierema \|style="text-align:left;"\|Selwyn United
\|2022{{cite web\|title=Congratulations to the winners of the MVP awards in the Northern, Central and Southern Leagues #NZNationalLeague \|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CluozRIJUbq/\|publisher=New Zealand Football Instagram\|access-date=9 December 2022}} \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|NZL}} Cameron Anderson \|style="text-align:left;"\|Green Island
2023 \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|IRL}} Garbhan Coughlan \|style="text-align:left;"\|Cashmere Technical
2024{{cite web\|date=25 September 2024 \|title=Announcing the MVPs of the regional phase of the National League 2024 🌟\|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DAUUjq1yN3V/\|publisher=New Zealand Football\|via=Instagram\|access-date=25 September 2024}} \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|NZL}} David Yoo \|style="text-align:left;"\|Christchurch United

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ MVP Winners

Season

!Winner(s)

!Club(s)

2021{{cite web|title=Goal-filled final weekend in the South Central Series as Miramar Rangers (men) and Southern United (women) crowned winners |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/110526|publisher=NZFootball.co.nz|access-date=26 January 2022}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Pieter-Taco Bierema

|style="text-align:left;"|Selwyn United

|2022{{cite web|title=Congratulations to the winners of the MVP awards in the Northern, Central and Southern Leagues #NZNationalLeague |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CluozRIJUbq/|publisher=New Zealand Football Instagram|access-date=9 December 2022}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Cameron Anderson

|style="text-align:left;"|Green Island

2023

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|IRL}} Garbhan Coughlan

|style="text-align:left;"|Cashmere Technical

2024{{cite web|date=25 September 2024 |title=Announcing the MVPs of the regional phase of the National League 2024 🌟|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DAUUjq1yN3V/|publisher=New Zealand Football|via=Instagram|access-date=25 September 2024}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|NZL}} David Yoo

|style="text-align:left;"|Christchurch United

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 Southern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League. Any records form 2021 season are noted. The records are up to date as of the 2024 season.

Most wins in a season: 16
Cashmere Technical (2022)
Christchurch United (2022, 2023)
Fewest wins in a season: 0 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
Most draws in a season: 7 – Coastal Spirit (2022)
Fewest draws in a season: 0 – FC Twenty 11 (2023){{efn|2021 season had 4 teams with 0 draws,{{efn|name=eight|2021 season only had 8 teams and 7 games before it was expanded to 10 with 18 games.}} Cashmere Technical, Coastal Spirit, South City Royals{{efn|name=DCRNameChange|Dunedin City Royals were called South City Royals for the 2021 season.}} and Otago University}}
Most defeats in a season: 17 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
Fewest defeats in a season: 1
Cashmere Technical (2022, 2024){{efn|2021 season had 1 team with only 1 loss,{{efn|name=eight}} Cashmere Technical}}
Christchurch United (2022, 2023)
Coastal Spirit (2024)
Most goals scored in a season: 90 – Cashmere Technical (2024)
Fewest goals scored in a season: 9 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
Most goals conceded in a season: 93 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
Fewest goals conceded in a season: 12 – Christchurch United (2022, 2023){{efn|2021 season had 1 team with 7 goals conceded,{{efn|name=eight}} Cashmere Technical}}
Most points in a season: 49
Cashmere Technical (2022)
Christchurch United (2022, 2023)
Fewest points in a season: 1 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
Highest goal difference: +71 – Cashmere Technical (2024)
Lowest goal difference: -84 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
Biggest home win: – Cashmere Technical 12–0 FC Twenty 11 (6 April 2024)
Biggest away win: – Green Island 3–15 Christchurch United (27 August 2023)
Highest scoring match: 18 goals – Green Island 3–15 Christchurch United (27 August 2023)
Biggest title-winning margin: – 7 points, 2023, Christchurch United (49 points) over Cashmere Technical (42 points)
Smallest title-winning margin: – 0 points and +3 goal difference, 2022, Christchurch United (+62) over Cashmere Technical (+59). Both finished on 49 points.

Champions

Note: Number of times club placed in placement, (only for clubs with multiple placements)

;Champions

;Runners-up

=Performance by Champions=

Club ! Location ! Titles ! Runners Up ! Title Seasons ! Runners Up Seasons
class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
align="left"\| Cashmere Technical	align="left"\| Woolston, Christchurch	2	2	2021, 2024	2022, 2023
align="left"\| Christchurch United	align="left"\| Spreydon, Christchurch	2	{{N/a}}	2022, 2023	{{N/a}}
align="left"\| Selwyn United	align="left"\| Rolleston	{{N/a}}	1	{{N/a}}	2021
align="left"\| Coastal Spirit	align="left"\| Linwood, Christchurch	{{N/a}}	1	{{N/a}}	2024

Notes

References

External links

[https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/COMPETITIONS/National-League National League official website]
[https://www.footballsouth.co.nz/ Southern Football official website]
[http://www.mainlandfootball.co.nz/ Mainland Football official website]

Category:Sports leagues established in 2021

Category:2021 establishments in New Zealand

Season	Champions	Runners-up
class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;float:right;margin-left:1em" \|+ Cashmere/United dominance
2021	style="background:#FFE34D"\| Cashmere Technical	style="background:#FFFFFF"\| Selwyn United
2022	style="background:#FFFFFF"\| Christchurch United	style="background:#FFFF8D"\| Cashmere Technical
2023	style="background:#FFE34D"\| Christchurch United	style="background:#FFFFFF"\| Cashmere Technical
2024	style="background:#FFFFFF"\| Cashmere Technical	style="background:#FFFF8D"\| Coastal Spirit
class="sortbottom" \| colspan="3"\|{{color box\|#FFFF8D}} English Cup winners {{color box\|#FFE34D}} Mainland Treble winners