Football league
The New Zealand Football Championship ( Māori : Te Whakataetae Whutupaoro a Aotearoa ) was a men ‘s association football league at the top of the New Zealand league system. Founded in 2004, the New Zealand Football Championship was the successor to a myriad of ephemeral football leagues in the country, including the National Soccer League, the National Summer Soccer League and the New Zealand Superclub League. The league was contested by ten-spot teams in a franchise organization. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the ISPS Handa Men’s Premiership. From the 2021-22 temper, it was replaced by the New Zealand National League. [ 1 ] The seasons used to run from October through to April, and dwell of an eighteen-round regular season followed by a playoff series involving the four highest-placed teams, culminating in a Grand Final. Each temper, two clubs would gain qualification to the OFC Champions League, the continental rival for the Oceania region. The league does not use a arrangement of promotion and relegation.

Auckland City were the most successful side since the competition ‘s origin, with twelve premierships and seven championship titles. A young rival, called the National Youth League, ran parallel to the regular season from October to December – the final examination champions were besides Auckland City, winning the final season of the contest in 2019 .

contest format [edit ]

There were two stages to the contest : the regular season, in which each team played each other twice for a sum of 18 games ; and the playoffs, in which the top four teams in the league play hard matches in holy order to determine the champion. [ 2 ]

regular season [edit ]

Each team played each early team twice : once at base, and once away. Teams score three points for a win, one for a pull, and no points for a loss. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams build up to the playoffs. For the first four seasons, the even season had the teams play each other three times. This was changed to a home-and-away organization in 2008, due to fiscal difficulties affecting some clubs .

Playoffs [edit ]

The playoffs consist of three matches ; there were two semi-final matches, and the winners of each progress to a one-match Grand Final. In the inauguration season, three teams took part in the playoffs. The Minor Premier ( the winner of the regular season ) received automatic entrance to the deluxe final arsenic well as hosting rights, while the second and one-third put teams played a one-game preliminary final examination to determine entrance to the august final examination. The NZFC besides experimented with a five team playoff in the 2005–06 season, however, this was discontinued and the league reverted to the three-team playoff system for the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons. The league changed to the four-team playoff system in the 2009–10 season .

reservation to OFC Champions League [edit ]

Two teams from the NZFC qualified for the OFC Champions League each season : the team that won the regular season ( the “ Minor Premier ” ) and the team that won the Grand Final ( the “ Champion ” ). If the same team wins both the Minor Premiership and the Championship, the moment Champions League position is granted to the regular season runner-up. This occurred on numerous occasions ; the first base exemplify being in 2006 when Auckland City ( premiers and champions ) and YoungHeart Manawatu qualified, YoungHeart Manawatu not making it to the Grand Final. No promotion and relegation exists, making it a close league similar to the A-League in Australia and Major League Soccer in the United States .

history [edit ]

establishment in 2004 to present [edit ]

The New Zealand Football Championship was created as a surrogate to the former New Zealand National Soccer League, a tournament involving clubs from the regional governing bodies of New Zealand Football. The NZFC was to be run as a summer league involving fresh clubs created entirely for the new competition, with these raw clubs being run jointly by existing winter clubs. The only exception to this was Napier City Rovers, whose summer clubhouse would be rebranded Hawke ‘s Bay United during the second season, to be operated jointly by other clubs in the Hawke ‘s Bay region. eleven groups bid for franchises, with the successful bids being announced on 7 April 2004 as Auckland City, Canterbury United, Napier City Rovers, Otago United, Team Wellington, Waikato FC, Waitakere United and YoungHeart Manawatu, with Olé Madrids, East Auckland and Team Bay of Plenty being excluded. unhappy at their excommunication, the Olé Madrids invite team took New Zealand Soccer to court, suing for damages and demanding inclusion in the competition, claiming that, whilst they met NZ Soccer ‘s criteria for inclusion body, other successful bids did not. The sheath was dropped by the Madrids team eight days before the beginning of the first NZFC season. [ 3 ] The Olé Academy, previously having had a kinship with Team Wellington, presently holds an single partnership with current league slope Eastern Suburbs. [ 4 ] [ 5 ] East Auckland besides considered legal military action, however this was not pursued. [ 6 ] The first equal of the contest was on 15 October 2004, with Auckland City defeating Napier City Rovers 3–1 at Park Island, Napier. Auckland City were besides crowned the inauguration NZFC champions after defeating Waitakere United 3–2 in the final. The second season saw Napier City Rovers rebrand and reorganize their NZFC team as Hawke ‘s Bay United, forming an amalgamate franchise with other local clubs. It besides saw the first exemplify of a NZFC team winning the O-League, with Auckland City FC defeating tahitian team AS Pirae 3–1. At the conclusion of the 2006–07 season, New Zealand Football granted three-season license extensions to seven of the eight franchises – all but YoungHeart Manawatu, who had to reapply due to concerns over the baseball club ‘s fiscal and organizational situation. however, YoungHeart finally earned reinstatement after beating out four rival bids – one based in Gisborne, one from North Shore City, and two from Manukau. Olé Madrids besides applied for the license ; however they withdrew early on. [ 7 ] On 2 September 2010, New Zealand Football announced a five-year sponsorship agreement with ASB Bank resulting in the rebranding of the New Zealand Football Championship to the ASB Premiership. [ 8 ] In 2013, after a inspection of the contest by the ASB Premiership recapitulation committee, YoungHeart Manawatu was dropped from the rival after finishing last in the previous three seasons. New Zealand Football besides confirmed that a team composed of New Zealand players born on or after 1 January 1995 would take Manawatu ‘s place in the premiership for at least two seasons. The addition of the team – to be known as Wanderers SC – was to provide adequate formulation for New Zealand ‘s U-20 players for the approaching 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup which will be hosted by New Zealand. [ 9 ] a lot confusion surrounded the initials “ SC ” in the Wanderers ‘ name, as no official explanation was given as to what they stood for. It was n’t until after their inaugural meet that coach Darren Bazeley last revealed that “ SC ” stood for “ special Club ”, saying “ it acknowledges this team has arisen out of a particular site and was particularly formed for the function. ” [ 10 ] The 2014–15 season saw the Premiership boom to nine teams for the first time in its history. Wellington Phoenix Reserves was added to the competition to provide bet on clock for the members of the Phoenix team who are not playing frequently for the first team in the A-League. Restrictions were besides put in place for all clubs requiring that at least 50 % of catch day squads are players who are eligible to play for the All Whites. [ 11 ] After 11 full seasons, entirely Auckland City and Waitakere United have been crowned Premiers or Champions, with Auckland City adding their sixth premiership and one-sixth deed in the 2014–15 season. This vogue was bucked, however, in the twelfth season of the competition, as Team Wellington defeated Auckland City 4–2 after extra time in the final. [ 12 ] The 2018-19 examine Eastern Suburbs crowned as champions for the first clock, becoming the first golf club to win the NZFC and the New Zealand National Soccer League .

2016 expansion [edit ]

In December 2015 it was announced that the league would be expanding to 10 teams for the 2016–17 season with Eastern Suburbs from Auckland, Hamilton Wanderers from Hamilton, and Tasman United from Nelson joining the league, while WaiBop United would exit the rival. [ 13 ]

Rebrandings [edit ]

In September 2016, it was announced that the expanded league would be rebranded as the Stirling Sports Premiership. [ 14 ] In March 2017, it was announced that the league would be rebranded as the ISPS Handa Premiership, due to a three-year sponsorship cope with ISPS Handa. [ 15 ]

National League Championship [edit ]

In March 2021, New Zealand Football announced a change to the structure of both the premiership and the peak regional leagues around the nation. 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 anesthetic clubs to qualify for the premiership season ( now known as the National League Championship ), with the exceed 4 teams from the Northern League, the peak 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 one round-robin contest between September and December. [ 1 ]

Clubs [edit ]

Until 2019, the New Zealand Football Championship had no promotion or relegation, similar to leagues in Australia and the United States. A promotion and delegating organization will be introduced to the National League in 2020/2021, taking the form of a slot protection model. This model protects one National League slot for each major region of the nation to protect geographic representation and maintain a pathway for all clubs into the ISPS Handa Premiership. A slot for the Wellington Phoenix ‘s military reserve side will besides be protected. promotion and relegation will be decided every 4 years.

stream clubs [edit ]

former clubs [edit ]

name changes [edit ]

Champions and premiers [edit ]

† Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 season was concluded after 16 rounds. The remaining two rounds of the even season and the finals serial were cancelled. Auckland City, who were leading the regular season mesa, were declared champions and besides awarded the Minor Premiership, and qualified for the 2021 OFC Champions League in concert with Team Wellington, who were at second place in the regular season table. [ 16 ] [ 17 ]

premiership winners [edit ]

backing winners [edit ]

Awards [edit ]

Golden Boot [edit ]

The Golden Boot is presented to the player who scores the most goals during the season .
† Due to reaching 12 goals in less games, Hamish Watson was awarded the trophy at the Grand finals. [ 18 ]

Steve Sumner Trophy [edit ]

The Steve Sumner Trophy is presented to the man of the match in the final .
† Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 season was concluded after 16 rounds and the concluding series was n’t played. [ 16 ] [ 17 ]

team of the Decade [edit ]

In 2014, to celebrate the first 10 years of the league under the franchise format ( 2004–05 to 2013–14 ), New Zealand Football announced an official team of the Decade and five individual musician awards. [ 20 ] [ 21 ] prior to the ASB Premiership Grand Final in 2014, the team of the Decade was announced, as selected by a panel of media experts. [ 21 ] The team was selected in a 4–3–3 geological formation .

Players of the Decade [edit ]

Throughout the 2013–14 home league season, four musician of the Decade awards ( based on playing position ) were announced and anterior to the 2014 Grand Final an overall Player of the Decade was announced. These awards were decided by a panel of media experts with remark from fans via a public vote. [ 20 ]

Records and statistics [edit ]

Regular season matches

Updated 2 December 2018

¹ Includes record as Napier City Rovers
² Includes record as Otago United
³ Includes record as Waikato FC
Finals matches

As of the conclusion of the 2016–17 season

Club

1st

2nd

3rd

Auckland City
13
29
19
1
9
68
44
+24
58
2.000
6
4
1

Waitakere United
11
24
13
1
10
64
5
+12
40
1.667
5
3
2

Team Wellington
10
23
11
2
10
43
50
−7
35
1.522
2
3
2

Canterbury United
6
14
4
2
8
19
30
−11
14
1.000
–
2
3

Southern United²
1
1
0
1
0
2
2
0
1
1.000
–
–
–

YoungHeart Manawatu
3
5
1
1
3
6
10
−4
4
0.800
–
–
2

Hawke’s Bay United¹
5
9
1
0
8
13
24
−11
3
0.333
–
1
2

WaiBOP United³
1
1
0
0
1
1
4
−3
0
0.000
–
–
1

¹ Includes record as Napier City Rovers
² Includes record as Otago United
³ Includes record as Waikato FC
Largest victories
Highest scoring matches

refer competitions [edit ]

OFC Champions League [edit ]

The OFC Champions League, besides known as the O-League, is the premier football rival in Oceania. It is organized by the OFC, Oceania ‘s football govern body. It has been organized since 2007 under the stream format, following its successor, the Oceania Club Championship. Two teams from the ISPS Handa Premiership participate per annum. Four O-League titles have been won by teams from New Zealand .

ASB Charity Cup [edit ]

The ASB Charity Cup was introduced in 2011 as a season undoer played the weekend before the first matches of the ASB Premiership temper. [ 26 ] The regular pits the ASB Premiership Grand Final achiever against the best performing New Zealand team in the OFC Champions League. [ 26 ] however, when the same team fills both categories as Auckland City did in 2014 and 2015 the ASB Premiership runner-up qualifies for Charity Cup. [ 27 ]

ASB Phoenix Challenge

The 2010–11 season saw the insertion of the ASB Challenge Series. This was an individual friendly competition in which the eight Premiership teams competed against a military reserve team attached to Wellington Phoenix, a New Zealand-based team play in the australian A-League. The ASB Phoenix Challenge was discontinued after the 2010–11 season but reinstated for 2012–2013, its last appearance .

White Ribbon Cup

The White Ribbon Cup, is a knockout cup rival run by New Zealand Football. The 2011–12 season will be the inauguration season of the NZF Cup. It was established in 2011 to provide even football for the six clubs not participating in the Oceania Champions League and runs in junction with the ISPS Handa Premiership regular temper. [ 28 ]

Season

Winner

Score

Runner-up

2011–12

Team Wellington

6–1

Waikato FC

National Youth League [edit ]

New Zealand Football additionally ran the National Youth League, a competition for the youth teams for each of the clubs in the New Zealand Football Championship. It was held between October and December, and consisted of each team playing each other once ; the repair list mirroring that of the aged league. The team with the most points at the end of the temper became the champions. The final examination champions were the youth team of Auckland City. [ 29 ] After a review by New Zealand Football of all their home competitions, [ 30 ] it was decided to end the national young contest with its last season being 2019. [ 30 ] [ 31 ] In the last season of the competition, Auckland City won its seventh championship deoxyadenosine monophosphate well as winning three in a quarrel from 2017 to 2019 to finish as champions of the rival. [ 32 ]

See besides [edit ]

References [edit ]

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