Southern League (New Zealand)

Southern League

Founded	2021; 3 years ago (2021)
Country	New Zealand
Confederation	OFC (Oceania)
Number of teams	10
Level on pyramid	2
Feeder to	National League
Relegation to	Canterbury Premiership Nelson Bays Premiership Southern Premiership
Domestic cup(s)	Chatham Cup
Current champions	Cashmere Technical (2nd title) (2024)
Most championships	Cashmere Technical Christchurch United (2 titles each)
TV partners	FIFA+ (select games)
Website	Mainland Football
Current: 2024 Southern League

The Southern League is an amateur status league competition run by Southern Football and Mainland Football for Association football clubs located in the South Island of New Zealand. It is at the second level of New Zealand Football behind the national association based New Zealand National League, and the highest level of club based football available to teams within the region.

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.^[1] 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.^[2] 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.^[2] The competition will start on the 17 July 2021.^[2]

Christchurch

Dunedin City Royals

Nelson Suburbs

Wanaka

Selwyn United

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Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2025 Southern League season

Cashmere Technical

Christchurch United

Coastal Spirit

Ferrymead Bays

Nomads United

University of Canterbury

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Location of clubs in Christchurch District for the 2025 Southern League season

As of 2025 season ^[3]

As of 2025 season

The following lists 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.

Top Scorers [edit] Season Top scorer(s) Club(s) Goals 2021 Garbhan Coughlan Edward Wilkinson Cashmere Technical Christchurch United 7 2022 Garbhan Coughlan Cashmere Technical 24 2023[4] Samuel Philip Christchurch United 29 2024[5] Garbhan Coughlan Cashmere Technical 26

MVP Winners [edit] Season Winner(s) Club(s) 2021[6] Pieter-Taco Bierema Selwyn United 2022[7] Cameron Anderson Green Island 2023[4] Garbhan Coughlan Cashmere Technical 2024[8] David Yoo Christchurch United

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)^[c]
• Most defeats in a season: 17 – FC Twenty 11 (2024)
• Fewest defeats in a season: 1
  • Cashmere Technical (2022, 2024)^[d]
  • 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)^[e]
• 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.

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

Champions

Runners-up

• National League official website
• Southern Football official website
• Mainland Football official website