A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| Season | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 27 March 2021 - 12 December 2021 |
| Champions | Cancelled[1][2][3] |
2022 → | |
The 2021 New Zealand National League was the first scheduled season of the National League since its restructuring in 2021. 30 clubs competed in the competition, with four having been planned to qualify from the Northern League, three qualifying from the Central League and two qualifying from the Southern League for the National Championship phase along with the automatically qualified Wellington Phoenix Reserves.[4] Each team was allowed to field a maximum of four foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality.[5] Each team had to also have at least two players aged 20 or under in the starting eleven.[6]
Because the Wellington Phoenix Reserves need to hold a partnership with an affiliated club through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be in the league and have a place in the Championship phase,[4] their current MoU was with Lower Hutt City.[7] This meant Lower Hutt could not qualify for the Championship even if they finish in the top three of the Central League.[4][8]
New Zealand Football announced on the 14 September that they had decided to terminate the remainder of the Northern League season and cancel any yet to be played fixtures due to Covid-19 and Auckland being in Level 4.[9] The decision was made due to the fact that they couldn't complete all the games before the Championship phase was due to begin, so places in the next phase where awarded off the standing before Auckland went into lockdown.[9]
On the 8 October, New Zealand Football announced a change in plans to the Championship phase of the 2021 competition due to COVID-19 alert levels.[10] The Championship phase was to be split up into two 'Hubs', the Auckland Hub and the South Hub, where teams play every other team in their hub in a single round robin. The top two clubs from each hub would have then qualified for a finals phase consisting of semis and a Grand Final.[10]
On the 2 November, after confirmation that the alert levels would not change to allow the Auckland and Waikato teams to play any further part in the National Competition, New Zealand Football announced that they were cancelling the reminder of the National League. In its place, they instead decided on a one-off interregional competition, the National League: South Central Series.[1]
Qualifying leagues
2021 Northern League
| Season | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 27 March 2021 - 14 August 2021 |
| Champions | Auckland City |
| Relegated | Northern Rovers West Coast Rangers |
| Matches played | 112 |
| Goals scored | 423 (3.78 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Alex Greive (19) |
| Biggest home win | Birkenhead United 9–0 Melville United (1 May 2021) |
| Biggest away win | Bay Olympic 2–7 Hamilton Wanderers (24 April 2021) Eastern Suburbs 0–5 Auckland City (22 May 2021) Hamilton Wanderers 0–5 Auckland City (17 July 2021) |
| Highest scoring | Birkenhead United 9–0 Melville United (1 May 2021) Bay Olympic 2–7 Hamilton Wanderers (24 April 2021) Auckland United 6–3 Northern Rovers (17 July 2021) |
| Longest winning run | 6 matches Auckland City |
| Longest unbeaten run | 11 matches Auckland City |
2022 → | |
Northern League teams
| Team | Home ground | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | Kiwitea Street | Sandringham, Auckland | Replaces sister club Central United F.C. for 2021 season |
| Auckland United | Keith Hay Park | Mount Roskill, Auckland | |
| Bay Olympic | Olympic Park | New Lynn, Auckland | 2nd in 2019 NRFL Division 1; promoted |
| Birkenhead United | Shepherds Park | Beach Haven, Auckland | |
| Eastern Suburbs | Madills Farm | Kohimarama, Auckland | |
| Hamilton Wanderers | Porritt Stadium | Chartwell, Hamilton | |
| Manukau United | Centre Park | Māngere East, Auckland | |
| Melville United | Gower Park | Melville, Hamilton | |
| North Shore United | Allen Hill Stadium | Devonport, Auckland | |
| Northern Rovers | McFetridge Park | Glenfield, Auckland | Merger between Glenfield Rovers AFC and Forrest Hill Milford United AFC |
| West Coast Rangers | Fred Taylor Park | Whenuapai, Auckland | Merger between Waitakere City FC and Norwest United ahead of 2021 season |
| Western Springs | Seddon Fields | Westmere, Auckland |