NRFL Premier


The Northern Region Football League Premier, currently known as Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier for sponsorship reasons, is a semi-professional New Zealand association football league competition that is run by the .
The NRFL competition is played during the off-season of the country's main football competition, the New Zealand Football Championship, and includes football clubs located in the northern part of the North Island, New Zealand from the Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty provinces.

History

The first four years (1965–1969)

In the years 1965–1969, before the launch of a National Soccer League, the Northern League was the highest level competition available to the clubs in the northern region. When the National Soccer League was created in 1970, the Northern League became one of its feeder leagues.
In 1997 and 1998, when the National Soccer League operated as an invitation-only summer league, the Northern League again became the highest level club competition available to the clubs from the northern provinces.

Present day

With the demise of the club-based National Soccer League in 2004, the Northern League, now known as Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Men's Premier, became part of the highest level of football league competition in New Zealand for the third time in its history. The league runs between the New Zealand autumn and winter months, while the ASB Premiership runs between the New Zealand spring and summer months.

Current Northern League structure

The following list is of the official sponsors of the League, unless otherwise noted.

Current

As of the 2020 season.
TeamLocationStadiumNotes
Auckland UnitedMount Roskill, AucklandKeith Hay Park
Bay OlympicNew Lynn, AucklandOlympic Park2nd in 2019 NRFL Division 1; promoted
Birkenhead UnitedBirkenhead, AucklandShepherds Park
Central UnitedSandringham, AucklandKiwitea Street
Eastern Suburbs ReservesKohimarama, AucklandMadills Farm
Forrest Hill MilfordForrest Hill, AucklandBecroft Park1st in 2019 NRFL Division 1; promoted
Hamilton Wanderers ReservesChartwell, HamiltonPorritt Stadium
Manukau UnitedMāngere East, AucklandCentre Park
Melville UnitedMelville, HamiltonGower Park
North Shore UnitedDevonport, AucklandAllen Hill Stadium
Waitakere CityWhenuapai, AucklandFred Taylor Park
Western SpringsWestmere, AucklandSeddon Fields

Past champions

Notable players

This list consists of past or present notable players that have either represented an international team, or made more than fifty appearances at a professional level in their careers.