NRFL Women's Championship

NRFL Women's Championship
Founded1974, as NRFL Women's Division Two
2023, as NRFL Women's Championship
Country New Zealand
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Number of clubs8
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toNRFL Women's Premiership
Relegation toNRF Women's Conference
WaiBOP W-League
Domestic cupKate Sheppard Cup
Current championsMelville United (1st title)
(2025)
Most championshipsLynndale
Westlake Girls High School
(2 titles each)
WebsiteNorthern Region Football
Current: 2026 NRFL Women's Championship

The Northern Regional Football League Women's Championship, currently known as Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons, is a semi-professional New Zealand association football league competition. The league began in 1974 as NRFL Women's Division Two until 1992 when it was dissolved. On four separate occasions since, there were plate competitions of the NRFL Women's Premiership with the winners considered Division Two winners.[1] In 2023, after the restructuring of New Zealand football leagues in 2021,[2][3][4] the league was reestablished as the NRFL Women's Championship.[5][6]

The league includes football clubs located in the northern part of the North Island, with clubs from the Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty provinces. The league sits at step 3 of the New Zealand football pyramid.

Current clubs

Location of clubs in Auckland Region for the 2026 NRFL Women's Championship season

Hibiscus Coast were relegated from the 2025 NRFL Women's Premiership, replacing 2025 winners Melville United, while Uni-Mount Bohemian were promoted from NRF League One to the NRFL Women's Championship and Central United were relegated.

As of 2026 season:

Team Location Stadium 2025 season
Birkenhead United Beach Haven, Auckland Shepherds Park 4th
Cambridge Cambridge John Kerkhof Park 5th
Franklin United Drury Drury Sports Grounds 2nd
Hibiscus Coast Whangaparāoa, Auckland Stanmore Bay Park 8th in NRFL Women's Premiership (relegated)
Northern Rovers Glenfield, Auckland McFetridge Park 7th
Onehunga Mangere United Māngere Bridge, Auckland Māngere Domain 6th
Onehunga Sports Onehunga, Auckland Waikaraka Park 3rd
Uni-Mount Bohemian Mount Wellington, Auckland Bill McKinlay Park 1st in NRF League One (promoted via play-offs)

Past champions

Source:[7]

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Northern Premier Women's League". UltimateNZSoccer. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  2. ^ "New National League competition details confirmed". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  3. ^ "New National League competition". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  4. ^ "New National League system". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Floodlit games to get new-look Lotto NRFL Women's Championship underway". friendsoffootballnz.com. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Update - LOTTO NRFL Championship and NRF League One draws released". Northern Region Football. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Northern Premier Women's League". ultimatenzsoccer.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.