Southern League 2026

Time to start this thread up for the coming season. 

Welcome to promoted - Dunedin's Northern AFC, formed in 1888 making them the oldest continually operating club in the country. Arron Wilkinson will be their coach again in 2026.

I wonder how Northern will perform this season? In 2025 they played the Royals and only lost in added time so I imagine they'll perform ok, although the added travel is always something to factor. Personally I'm mainly excited for the Dunedin Derby, north vs south.

When do clubs start bringing in players?

Ferrymead Bays will be without Jimmy (James) Deehan going forward as he has returned back to Ireland with his family earlier this month. Jimmy a very experience player in the midfield as well as captaining Bays along with being the sides strength and conditioning coach.

Go Northern! One of my played-for clubs.

Does anybody know who will be replacing UC in the southern league with them withdrawing from the competition?

NZKnowledge

Does anybody know who will be replacing UC in the southern league with them withdrawing from the competition?

Can't say for certain, but if UC have withdrawn, it'll most likely be Selwyn that get offered their spot (similar to how FC Twenty11 stayed up when Green Island withdrew)

NZKnowledge

Does anybody know who will be replacing UC in the southern league with them withdrawing from the competition?

UC have withdrawn?

Is this one of those things like FC Western

Please elaborate.

Also are you referring to Christchurch club Western AFC or FC  Western - Sydney.

Doloras

Is this one of those things like FC Western

AllWhites82

Please elaborate.

Also are you referring to Christchurch club Western AFC or FC  Western - Sydney.

Doloras

Is this one of those things like FC Western

There was chat on here that FC Western from New Plymouth weren't taking up their Central League place, which has since proved to be unfounded

NZKnowledge

Does anybody know who will be replacing UC in the southern league with them withdrawing from the competition?

Source that they've withdrawn?

They don't have any coaches right?, how can they play without coaches

Understand other SL clubs have been advised by league admin that UC have withdrawn from the SL for the coming season. Still working on who the 10th team will be. 

Not great for the competition to have a team pull out this late on. Was no coach the reason for them pulling out? Surely there would be someone out there that was willing to get an opportunity to coach at that level?

Will be a struggle for any club to put together a competitive side, I imagine it would be either Selwyn or Halswell as the most obvious options?

It's not like we have an abundance of B-license and above coaches in the region who already aren't in roles at other clubs right? From what I can gather, and please don't shoot the messenger, it is the former who will be in the league for the 2026 season.

Marshy

Not great for the competition to have a team pull out this late on. Was no coach the reason for them pulling out? Surely there would be someone out there that was willing to get an opportunity to coach at that level?

Will be a struggle for any club to put together a competitive side, I imagine it would be either Selwyn or Halswell as the most obvious options?

Yes I heard it was Selwyn that was taking the vacant spot. 

Roadie to Rolleston Returns.

👀

Selwyn too take the spot and yes the reason for them withdrawing is they couldn't find a coach. The person coaching the UC first team this year is a player from the 3rd XI. Even last season, the UC coach that was taking the session and coaching was not qualified for southern league level and so they had Ricardo be the so called "coach" to get past Southern League Regulations

Marshy

Not great for the competition to have a team pull out this late on. Was no coach the reason for them pulling out? Surely there would be someone out there that was willing to get an opportunity to coach at that level?

Will be a struggle for any club to put together a competitive side, I imagine it would be either Selwyn or Halswell as the most obvious options?

It's more than just getting the opportunity to coach - there has to be someone with at least a B license on the team sheet. A few clubs have got around it in the past by having an assistant with the license.

Understand Selwyn will be the team invited back to join the league this year. Good opportunity for them. Many thought of them as a better team than UC last year.

What about a potential South Island United reserve team? I assume they'll get one eventually and when they do it'll be in the national league like with the NIX and AFC

Noah4thenix

What about a potential South Island United reserve team? I assume they'll get one eventually and when they do it'll be in the national league like with the NIX and AFC

I don't see SIU getting a reserve side in the comp with the way things currently are. They're basically just Chch Utd in a hat and most of the players will likely disperse back into the NZ System after the season ends. 

Noah4thenix

What about a potential South Island United reserve team? I assume they'll get one eventually and when they do it'll be in the national league like with the NIX and AFC

I think its very early days for the OFC PRO League - nobody really knows whether South Island United and the other teams involved in the league will be around in a few seasons time.  How many seasons have FIFA funded the league for ? - I thought I read somewhere 5 seasons ?

This is forum is the most reliable news source I know. The people here just know things before it ever goes public

Noah4thenix

This is forum is the most reliable news source I know. The people here just know things before it ever goes public

This is how the open democracy of the internet was supposed to work

Noah4thenix

This is forum is the most reliable news source I know. The people here just know things before it ever goes public

Helps when everyone knows a guy, who knows a guy, who met someone once, who’s cousin is…..

Well, the tip about FC Western withdrawing from Central League 2 turned out to be bogus

SamCoughlan

Noah4thenix

This is forum is the most reliable news source I know. The people here just know things before it ever goes public

Helps when everyone knows a guy, who knows a guy, who met someone once, who’s cousin is…..

Yes, and the Christchurch football community is not that big. 

Josh Tollervey, will not be running out for Christchurch United in the coming season as heading across the Tasman to play for Devonport United based in Tasmania. 

Understand Christchurch United have picked up Jamie Wildash-Chan from Western Suburbs, after a stint playing for the UNBC Timberwolves in Canada. 

AllWhites82

SamCoughlan

Noah4thenix

This is forum is the most reliable news source I know. The people here just know things before it ever goes public

Helps when everyone knows a guy, who knows a guy, who met someone once, who’s cousin is…..

Yes, and the Christchurch football community is not that big. 

I'd also like to add that this thread, and it's predecessor Mainland Premier League, must be one of the most viewed and commented on in YF. Therefore people are keen to share their news! 

So much so, when the MPL thread was imported into the new YF, it was so big it broke it....

Screenshot 2026-02-17 at 8.41.11 AM.png 33.91 KB

Great news for Flynn and football, NZ Cricket will not be happy. 

coochiee

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/02/17/nomads-united-striker-flynn-holdem-signs-with-united-states-college-side/

First game in the Bays Pre-Season Tournament held tonight with Cashmere Technical too strong for Selwyn, think it was 7 - 1 in the end.

AllWhites82

Great news for Flynn and football, NZ Cricket will not be happy. 

coochiee

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/02/17/nomads-united-striker-flynn-holdem-signs-with-united-states-college-side/

Flynn is a phenomenal athlete. Obviously been in the Southern League for a few years now and also played cricket for Canterbury U17 and U19, and played premier club grade for Burnside after leaving school.

In the Southern League, Flynn has played 34 games in the previous 3 seasons with a strike rate of 24 goals.  Last season better than a goal a game when slotting 12 goals in just 11 games, missed the start of the season due to playing cricket.

SamCoughlan

AllWhites82

Great news for Flynn and football, NZ Cricket will not be happy. 

coochiee

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/02/17/nomads-united-striker-flynn-holdem-signs-with-united-states-college-side/

Flynn is a phenomenal athlete. Obviously been in the Southern League for a few years now and also played cricket for Canterbury U17 and U19, and played premier club grade for Burnside after leaving school.

AllWhites82

First game in the Bays Pre-Season Tournament held tonight with Cashmere Technical too strong for Selwyn, think it was 7 - 1 in the end.

Looks like the game was streamed on Mainland Football's YouTube page if any of us degenerates have a couple of spare hours this morning.

Nice early start for the league this year - on the weekend of March 21/22.

In recent years it has begun between March 24 and March 29 so a week earlier this year than previously. Could be a for a few reasons - an extra weekend off in the middle, maybe a weekend allocated to English Cup QFs or SFs, or maybe a nationwide weekend off so people can watch the All Whites play Belgium on Sat June 27 at 3pm in the World Cup?

SamCoughlan

Nice early start for the league this year - on the weekend of March 21/22.

In recent years it has begun between March 24 and March 29 so a week earlier this year than previously. Could be a for a few reasons - an extra weekend off in the middle, maybe a weekend allocated to English Cup QFs or SFs, or maybe a nationwide weekend off so people can watch the All Whites play Belgium on Sat June 27 at 3pm in the World Cup?

Gap on Chatham Cup semifinal weekend this year when there was none last year, as far as I can tell

I think Wanaka have signed dutch player Danny Heemskerk. Last played for Sokol Hostoun in the Czech Republic 3rd tier but came through the VV-Venlo u21 team (Same club Kian Donkers played for). Plays as a midfield and standing at a towering height of 1.94m