• Double-round, fully national, club-based competitions for both the men’s and women’s game
• 10-team women’s competition and 12-team men’s competition
• Full league season followed by a finals series
• All games broadcast live and free
• Significant increase in investment to deliver a full top-tier national season integrated into the football pyramid
• Kicking off in late March 2027

New Zealand Football has confirmed further details of the new-look Dettol National League competition, with the new format set to bring full-season, winter club-based leagues to the men’s and women’s domestic game in Aotearoa New Zealand from 2027.

The format was developed following a six-month consultation period involving more than 400 participants, made up of club representatives and other football stakeholders from across the country.

The changes introduced will transform the men’s and women’s top-tier domestic competitions into winter, fully national, double-round leagues, replacing the existing part-regional, part-national structure and allowing the best sides to play each other on a more regular basis.

Following a double-round league season, both competitions will feature a finals series, culminating in a Grand Final.
For the first time, both the women’s and men’s national competitions will be fully club-based, with promotion and relegation from the regional leagues providing an aspirational pathway for participants across the game.

The teams for the inaugural 2027 season will be selected based on combined finishing positions in the existing regional competitions across the 2022-2026 seasons (weighted 2022 – 10%, 2023 – 15%, 2024 – 20%, 2025 – 25%, and 2026 – 30%).

The women’s competition will feature 10 teams from across the country, made up of the top four sides from the Northern and WaiBOP competitions, the top two from the Central and Capital competitions, and the top two from the Mainland and Southern competitions, along with the reserve teams of Auckland FC Women and Wellington Phoenix Women.

The men’s competition will consist of 12 teams: the top four from the Northern League, the top three from the Central League, and the top two from the Southern League, along with the Auckland FC Men and Wellington Phoenix Men reserve teams.

The 12th team will be decided by a play-off between the fifth-placed Northern League side, fourth-placed Central League side, and third-placed Southern League side based on performances across the 2022-2026 period.
The play-off, following a draw held on 28 July 2026, will see all three teams face each other in a mini league to be played in September 2026:

• Game 1 – Southern Qualifier vs Central Qualifier
• Game 2 – Central Qualifier vs Northern Qualifier
• Game 3 – Northern Qualifier vs Southern Qualifier

To deliver the new competition, New Zealand Football will increase its investment in the Dettol National League by 42% compared with the existing model.

"Our national competitions play a critical role in the game, so we need to ensure they are delivering the highest-quality product possible for players, coaches, referees, administrators, and fans," says New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell.

"The changes we made in 2021 to move to a winter, predominantly club-based, regional-then-national competition, with an open pathway for teams, were really well received. However, football has grown and developed significantly since then, and it is important that we continue to evolve for the benefit of both the men’s and women’s game, while investing to deliver a competition of this scale with a strong pathway that supports healthy promotion and relegation.

"Following a long consultation period with stakeholders, we believe we have designed a competition that will allow the top sides to challenge themselves with more competitive games, give talented players the best opportunity to develop and showcase themselves, engage with, support, and champion our brilliant clubs, and remain sustainable year after year.

"With six New Zealand-based professional sides playing in the summer months, hopefully growing to eight with a third South Island-based A-League club at some stage, this winter-based competition complements the football calendar perfectly, giving fans both domestically and internationally access to great-quality competitions, all broadcast live and free.

"Football in New Zealand has seen massive growth over the last decade, and this competition should provide the foundation for the domestic game to continue to go from strength to strength for years to come."

The new Dettol National League format will kick off in late March 2027, with all 222 league matches across the men’s and women’s competitions, along with both finals series, set to be broadcast live and free.

Prior to the start of the new competition format, the current Dettol National League season will conclude, with the Championship phase set to get underway in September.

Article added: Wednesday 29 July 2026