Wellington Olympic players celebrate winning the National League Championship final against Auckland City FC. Photo: photosport
With two men's professional teams playing in the Australian-managed competition, it's never been a better time to be a football fan in New Zealand. Yet, Aotearoa's main domestic campaign gets underway this weekend, with little to no fanfare, despite the success of many of its former stars and the potentially lucrative rewards at stake.
The 2025 New Zealand Men's National League begins on Saturday at 3pm with the beginning of the Northern League regional phase. Tāmaki Makarau's previous biggest club, Auckland City, will face Tauranga City in the opening game of the season.
It's something of a David v Goliath affair. Following Hamilton Wanderers and Melville United's relegation, Tauranga are the last remaining team outside the greater Auckland region left in the Northern League.
Meanwhile, Auckland City are a testament to the rewards on offer to clubs in this oft-forgotten competition. The Navy Blues have been the league's dominant force winning 10 National League titles, including last year's. That success has afforded them the chance to participate in the regional club competition, the OFC Champions League, which they have also won a record 12 times. That's the true golden carrot, with a place in the FIFA Club World Cup on offer. Auckland won the Bronze Medal at the tournament 11 years ago and in June's expanded upcoming version they will face three footballing juggernauts in Germany's Bayern Munich, Portugal's Benfica and Argentina's Boca Juniors with huge financial and reputational rewards on offer.
Birkenhead United FC v Auckland City FC, Men’s National League Football final at North Harbour Stadium, Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
It's also a chance for the players of the New Zealand National League to demonstrate that they are often amateur only by name and circumstance, not talent.
The day after Auckland City and Tauranga have got the nation's domestic campaign underway,a quick drive down State Highway 20 will take you to Go Media Stadium. There, Auckland FC will be looking to consolidate their place at the top of the A-League ladder against flailing reigning champions, Central Coast Mariners.
Cam Howieson (L) of Auckland City avoids the attention of Gabiriele Matanisiga of Wellington Olympic during their OFC men's Champions League national playoff in 2024. Photo: Photosport
Helping them in their mission will be several players who once traversed the nation, unpaid, as amateurs in New Zealand's domestic club system. Auckland City and Tauranga know this all too well. Cameron Howieson and Liam Gillion have been important squad players for the A-League newbies since switching the Navy Blues for the Black Knights. Tauranga's former goal-machine Jonty Bidois is also in Steve Corica's first-team picture. Meanwhile, Mariners defender Brian Kaltak will enjoy a return to his old neck of the woods. The former Auckland City captain was the A-League's outstanding centre-back in 2023-24.
Elsewhere, Francis De Vries has been the competition's best left-back in 2024-25, after stepping up from Eastern Suburbs, while Jesse Randall is starting to find his feet after previously tearing apart defences with Wellington Olympic. Logan Rogerson, Nando Pijnaker and Alex Paulsen are among the others with National League experience.
Let's also not forget New Zealand's other professional club, the Wellington Phoenix. Luke Brooke-Smith, Corban Piper and Nathan Walker have been rare bright sparks in a disappointing campaign since respective moves from Hamilton Wanderers, Birkenhead United and Fencibles United respectively.
Roy Krishna, Tim Payne, Michael Boxall, Oli Sail, Albert Riera. The list goes on. Yet while Auckland FC appear to be taking football in New Zealand into an exciting new era, it remains to be seen if that will have a knock-on impact for the true domestic game.
But with the chance to potentially see the stars of tomorrow in the National League now far more likely, talk of an OFC professional league, and the All Whites tantalisingly close to a return to World Cup football - surely 2025 is the year New Zealand's domestic game takes a giant leap forward.
National League quick facts
How many teams? 32 split into three regions: Northern (12), Central (10) and Southern (10).
When is it? Regional Phase: March 15, 2025 - August 31 2025; Championship Phase: September-December (Dates TBC)
How does it work? 32 clubs compete to become 11 in the Championship phase. Four qualify from the Northern League, three from the Central League and two from the Southern League. Auckland FC Reserves and Wellington Phoenix Reserves qualify automatically.
Is it professional? No. All players must retain amateur status.
Is it just the men? No. The 2025 New Zealand Women's National League regional phase kicks off the following week.
