The Central Federation League is an amateur status league competition run by Central Football for association football clubs located in the central region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is currently in the third level of the New Zealand football league system, below the Central League administered by Capital Football and is entered by clubs from the Taranaki, Manawatū-Whanganui, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne districts.

Central Federation League
Founded2000
CountryNew Zealand
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Number of teams8
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toCentral League
Relegation toTaranaki Premiership
Pacific Premiership
Horizon's Premiership
Domestic cup(s)Chatham Cup
League cup(s)Central Federation Cup
Central Federation League Cup
Current championsPalmerston North Marist (3rd title)
(2023)
Most championshipsHavelock North Wanderers
Napier City Rovers
Palmerston North Marist
Team Taranaki
(3 titles each)
Websitehttps://www.centralfootball.co.nz/

History

The league was launched in 2000 and began within the second tier of the New Zealand league system as a replacement for the disbanded triple division Central League, which had run in various forms since 1966.[1]

Current clubs

Central Federation League is located in New Zealand
Gisborne Thistle
Gisborne Thistle
Palmerston North United
Palmerston North United
Palmerston North Marist
Palmerston North Marist
Napier City Rovers
Napier City Rovers
Taradale
Taradale
Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2023 Central Federation League season

As of the 2023 season.[2]

Club Location Home Ground(s)
Gisborne Thistle Gisborne Childers Road Reserve
Napier City Rovers (2) Napier Bluewater Stadium
Palmerston North United Palmerston North Memorial Park
Palmerston North Marist Palmerston North Central Energy Trust Arena Turf
Taradale Napier Taradale Park

(2) — Denotes club's second team

2022 League Table

Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Whanganui Athletic 14 12 2 0 48 7 +41 38
Palmerston North Marist 14 10 2 2 39 12 +27 32
North End 14 9 2 3 37 14 +23 29
Massey University 14 7 1 6 27 30 -3 22
Napier Marist 14 6 1 7 25 41 -16 19
Napier City Rovers 14 5 0 9 27 36 -9 15
Levin 14 1 1 12 12 43 -31 4
Gisborne Thistle 14 1 1 12 12 44 -32 4

2022 Central League place play-off

Central League play-off
First leg
Whanganui Athletic2–2Stop Out
  • Holden 58' (pen.)
  • Smith 82'
  • Patterson-Gunn 19'
  • Prins 78'
Wembley Park, Whanganui
Referee: Matthew Hastings
Central League play-off
Second leg
Stop Out3–2 (a.e.t.)Whanganui Athletic
  • Tuck 85', 104'
  • Craven 90+7'
 Report
  • Bell 64'
  • Holden 90+6'
Hutt Park, Lower Hutt
Referee: Aaron Clarke

Aggregate score 5–4. Stop Out promoted to the 2022 Central League. In late 2022 Whanganui Athletic were also promoted to the 2023 Central League after the withdrawal of Wellington United from the competition.[3]

2021 League Table

Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Havelock North Wanderers 16 13 2 1 55 16 +39 40
Palmerston North Marist 16 11 1 4 62 26 +36 34
Whanganui Athletic 16 9 3 4 38 23 +15 30
Gisborne Thistle 16 10 0 6 43 32 11 30
Massey University 16 8 4 4 40 31 9 28
North End 16 7 1 8 35 36 -1 22
Napier Marist 16 3 1 12 25 57 -32 10
Levin 16 2 2 12 15 45 -30 8
New Plymouth Rangers 16 2 1 13 15 62 -47 7

2021 Central League place play-off

Central League play-off
First leg
Wellington United5–3Havelock North Wanderers
Newtown Park, Wellington
Central League play-off
Second leg
Havelock North Wanderers3–1Wellington United
Guthrie Park, Havelock North
Referee: Matthew Conger

Aggregate score 6–6. Havelock North Wanderers win tie on away goal rule and are promoted to the 2022 Central League.

Note - Wairarapa United withdrew from the 2022 Central League prior to the start of the season and were subsequently replaced by Wellington United.[4]

Past Clubs

Club Location Home Ground(s) Last Season
Gisborne City Gisborne Childers Road Reserve 2003 - merged as Gisborne City Marist
Moturoa AFC New Plymouth Onuku Taipari Domain 2003 - league position given to Team Taranaki
Gisborne City Marist Gisborne Childers Road Reserve 2004 - withdrew
Manawatu AFC Palmerston North 2004 (amalgamated)
Red Sox Riverside Palmerston North 2004 (amalgamated)
Linton Area Defence FC Palmerston North Linton Military Camp 2005 - withdrew
Napier City Rovers Napier Bluewater Stadium 2010 - withdrew to Pacific Premiership
Feilding United Manawatu Timona Park 2015 - withdrew
Team Taranaki New Plymouth Yarrow Stadium 2016 - promoted to 2017 Central League
Port Hill United Napier Marewa Park 2016 - withdrew
Wanganui City FC Whanganui Wembley Park 2019 - withdrew
Palmerston North Boys' High School Palmerston North High School Ground 2019 - relegated
Hokowhitu FC Palmerston North Hokowhitu Park 2019 - withdrew
Red Sox Manawatu Palmerston North 2020 - withdrew
New Plymouth Rangers New Plymouth Merrilands Domain 2021 - relegated
Havelock North Wanderers Havelock North Guthrie Park 2021 - promoted to 2022 Central League
Levin Levin Donnelly Park 2022 - withdrew
Napier Marist Napier Bluewater Stadium 2022 - withdrew
North End Palmerston North Memorial Park 2022 - merged as Palmerston North United
Massey University Palmerston North Massey University 2022 - merged as Palmerston North United
Whanganui Athletic Whanganui Wembley Park 2022 - promoted to as Champions to 2023 Central League

Records

Past Champions

[5]

Central Federation Cup

The Lotto Central Federation Cup is the premier men's knock-out trophy of the Central Football Federation and is contested annually by clubs affiliated to the Central Football Federation. The cup competition in its current form began in 2009, with the exception of the COVID-19 affected 2020 season when the first round of matches was initially scheduled then subsequently cancelled.

Central Federation Cup Champions

*(2) denotes club's second team

References

  1. ^ "Central Football". ultimatenzsoccer. 20 December 2021. Archived from the original on 26 June 2007.
  2. ^ "Central Football Federation League 2023". Central Football. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Whanganui Athletic to join Central League for 2023 season". New Zealand Football. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Update to the 2022 Central League". NZ Football. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Honours Board". ultimatenzsoccer.com. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
Categories