The 2025 Mainland Football Leagues was the 26th season of football in the Mainland Football federation. There were four main men's leagues and four main women's leagues. The main men's leagues were Southern League, Canterbury Premiership League, Nelson Bays Premiership League, and Canterbury Championship League, respectively tier 2, 3, 3 and 4 among New Zealand men's league system. The main women's leagues were South Island League, Canterbury Women's Premiership League, Nelson Bays Women's Premiership League, and Canterbury Women's Championship League, respectively tier 2, 3, 3 and 4 among New Zealand women's league system.
Along with the main football leagues, there were two main regional knockout cups and charity cups. The main knockout cups were English Cup for all men's teams and Reta Fitzpatrick Cup for all women's teams, with generally only first teams participate. The main Canterbury men's charity cup is the Whero Cup for Canterbury Men's Championship League and Men's Division 1 as well as the reserve teams from Canterbury Men's Premiership League. The Canterbury women's charity cup is the MÃÂwhero Cup for all Canterbury Championship League, Division 1 and Sunday League teams.
In the men's Southern League, all seven Canterbury teams were eligible to participate in the Hurley Shield, a challenge shield that has been running since 2007. In the women's South Island League, all five Canterbury teams were eligible to participate in the Hawkey Shield, that has been running since 2014.
All four of the Canterbury Premiership and Championship leagues were sponsored by New World, while both the Nelson Bays Men's and Women's Premiership leagues were sponsored by Nelson Pines. Both Canterbury challenge shields were sponsored by R&B Build.
The Southern League sits above the Canterbury Premiership and Nelson Bays Premiership from the Mainland Region and the Southern Premier League of the Southern Region. The league is run by New Zealand Football as part of the New Zealand National League, and is overseen by Mainland Football and Southern Football alongside New Zealand Football.
The 2025 Southern League is the fourth season of a full 10 team league, and the fifth season overall. Ten teams will compete in the league â nine teams from the previous season plus a promoted team. The promoted team from the previous season is Wanaka, who were the 2024 Southern Premier League runners-up.
Wanaka won the Southern League Playoff series 9âÂÂ4 on aggregate over Waimakariri United. 2025 is Wanaka's first season in the Southern League. They replaced FC Twenty 11, who finished last in the previous season. FC Twenty 11 spent two seasons in the league, finishing tenth in both seasons.
The final of the Southern League play-off series will be a two-legged match that take place between the Mainland Football nominated club and Southern Football nominated club. Mainland Football will also have a two-legged play-off match between Nelson Bays Premiership League nominated club and Canterbury Premiership League nominated club. FC Nelson came first in the 2025 Nelson Bays Men's Premiership League. Halswell United came second in the 2025 Canterbury Men's Premiership League, with champions Christchurch United U20 Reserves ineligible to participate. The winner of this play-off will face the Southern Football nominated club, Northern. Northern came first in the 2025 Southern Premiership League. None of the clubs in the play-off series have previously participated in the Southern League with FC Nelson the only to have reached the Mainland Football Playoff Series play-off stage twice, losing to University of Canterbury in the 2023 play-off series and Waimakariri United in the 2024 play-off series.
The Hurley Shield is a Challenge Shield, where only teams from Christchurch challenge for the shield. It is only up for challenge when the current holders plays a league home game, cups competitions are not challenge games. The challenging team need to win against the current holders in order for the shield to change hands; if the match is a draw, the current holders retain the shield.
The Hurley Shield holders are Coastal Spirit, who defeated Christchurch United this season 0âÂÂ2 in round 17 to claim the shield. They have defended the shield once since retaining it, and it was against University of Canterbury.
Christchurch United before they lost the shield, they have had five successful defense this season against; University of Canterbury, Cashmere Technical, Nomads United, Ferrymead Bays and Selwyn United.
The 2025 Canterbury Men's Premiership League was the 4th season of premiership football, since the restructure of the leagues. The League started on 28 March and finished on 6 September, with the competition being a double round robin. Each team can field a maximum of five foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality. Temporary Dismissals will be in use for when a player commits a cautionable offence that is relevant to dissent and the length of the dismissal is 10 minutes starting from when play restarts.
At the end of season, the highest ranked first team will be nominated to play in a Mainland Football Federation Playoff, two-leg home and away series, against the highest ranked nominated first team from Nelson Bays Men's Premiership. This is to get the team that will compete against the highest ranked nominated first team from Southern Premiership League in the Southern League Playoff, two-leg home and away series. The winner of Southern League Playoff Series will be promoted to Southern League, assuming they will have the correct club licensing before the season starts.
Eleven teams are competing in the league â nine teams from the previous season, one team promoted from the Canterbury Men's Championship League and one team relegated from the Southern League. The promoted team is University of Canterbury U20 Reserves, this is their first season in the league. The relegated team is FC Twenty 11, this is their second season in the league after winning the league in 2022.
The 2025 Canterbury Men's Championship League was the 9th season of championship football, 3rd since the restructure of the leagues. The League started on 5 April and finished on 13 September, with league format being a double round robin.
Temporary Dismissals will be in use, when an official referee has been appointed, for when a player commits a cautionable offence that is relevant to dissent and the length of the dismissal is 10 minutes starting from when play restarts. For when an official referee hasn't been appointed, they will be known as Sin Bins. A sin bin is the same as a temporary dismissals, but another player is allowed to be subbed on to bring the team back to 11 players. After 10 minutes, the player is allowed to be used again.
The competition allows for each team to have a match day squad of 18 players, 11 starting and 7 substitutes. It also allows for each team to make unlimited substitutions from the 7 substitutes.
Ten teams are competing in the league â eight teams from the previous season, one promoted team and one relegated team. The team promoted is from Canterbury Division 1 and is Oxford, this its their first season in the league. The team relegated is from the Premiership League is Parklands United, this is their first season in the league since the restructure.
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The Leagues started on 12 April and finished on 2 August, with the competition being a double round robin.
At the end of season, the highest ranked nominated first team will be nominated to play in a Mainland Football Federation Playoff, two-leg home and away series, against the highest ranked first team from Canterbury Men's Premiership. This is to get the team that will compete against the highest ranked nominated team from Southern Premiership League in the Southern League Playoff, two-leg home and away series. The winner of Southern League Playoff Series will be promoted to Southern League, assuming they will have the correct club licensing before the season starts.
Seven teams are competing in the league â six teams from the previous season plus one new entry. The new entry team is Nelson Suburbs U18. They replace Golden Bay and Motueka.
The 2025 Women's South Island League is the first full season, fourth season in total, of the second level of women's football in New Zealand, and the third season under the name Women's South Island League.
This year the South Island League goes straight to the league phase with out the qualifying leagues. The is the culmination of the two regional federations, each of which provide teams to the Women's South Island League. The league will be a double round robin, with each team having a home and away tie against each other.
The South Island League sits above the Canterbury Women's Premiership League Mainland Football and Southern Football, despite being run by New Zealand Football as part of the future New Zealand Women's National League.
Nine team are competing in the leagues - all six teams from last season and 3 promoted teams. The three promoted teams are Halswell United, Nomads-Waimakariri United (NW United for short) and University of Canterbury. This is Halswell United and NW United's first season in the league, and it is University of Canterbury's second season in the league after not qualifying for last season league.
Note: Some cases use first/last match coached
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The Hawkey Shield is a Challenge Shield, where only teams from Christchurch challenge for the shield. It is only up for challenge when the current holders plays a league home game, cups competitions are not challenge games. The challenging team need to win against the current holders in order for the shield to change hands; if the match is a draw, the current holders retain the shield.
The Hawkey Shield current holders are Coastal Spirit, who have defended it for eight years in a row, holding the shield since 2017. They have successfully defended it more than 32 times from 2019 to 2024. They have successfully defended against; University of Canterbury nine times, Cashmere Technical eight times, Halswell United seven times, Waimakariri United four times, Nomads United and Ferrymead Bays both twice and Selwyn United once.
Coastal Spirit's next match is against Cashmere Technical at TÃÂne Norton Park on 10 August. They have had two successful defenses, one defense was against University of Canterbury, the other defense against Halswell United.
The 2025 Canterbury Women's Premiership League is the 1st full season of premiership football in the Canterbury region, 4th since the restructure of the leagues. The League started on 5 April and finishes on 30 August, with league format being a triple round robin.
Six teams are competing in the league.
The 2025 Canterbury Women's Championship League is the 1st full season of championship football in the Canterbury region, 4th since the restructure of the leagues. The League started on 5 April and finishes on 23 August, with league format being a double round robin.
Between 6 June and 13 July, Cashmere Technical U20 Reserves were withdrawn from the competition. All game results against Cashmere Technical U20 Reserves have been voided.
Six teams are competing in the league. Before the start of the season, Ferrymead Bays pull out from the competition.
Nine teams are competing in the league - seven team from the previous season and two new teams. The two team are Richmond Swans and Wakefield; they replace Nelson Suburbs Swans
The 2025 English Cup is the 112th edition, the 105th time the trophy has been played for, of the English Cup.
Matches to played on Easter Monday of 21 April. Cashmere Technical received a bye to the quarter finals.
Matches to played on Tuesday nights between May and July.
Matches to played on Tuesday nights in-between July.
This is Cashmere Technical's 9th English Cup Final in a row and Nomad United's first final since 2008.
The 2025 Reta Fitzpatrick Cup is the 51st edition, the 47th time the trophy has been played for, of the Reta Fitzpatrick Cup.
Match to played on 23 April. All other team received a bye to the quarter finals.
Matches to played on Wednesday nights between May and August.
Matches to played on Tuesday nights between July and August.
The 2025 Whero Cup is a Charity cup competition for all teams in Canterbury Men's Championship League and Men's Division 1 as well as the reserve teams from Canterbury Men's Premiership League. This is the 3rd edition of the Whero Cup.
This season the cup will help raise awareness and support for Christchurch City Mission (Christchurch City Mission), after two seasons of raise awareness and support for Ronald McDonald House South Island.
This season, Men's Division 2 teams are not competing, where they will compete in the I Am Hope Pango Cup. This is Parkland United's first season in the cup, Cashmere Technical Originals and FC Twenty 11 Goats as well. Cashmere Technical Turtles, Christchurch United Division 1 and Ferrymead Bays Baby Blue's are teams that aren't competing this season
Matches to played on ANZAC day. All Premiership reserves teams receive a bye to the second round.
Matches to played on 10 May.
Matches to played on 22 June.
Matches to played on 21 July.
Match to played on 10 September.
The 2025 MÃÂwhero Cup is the Women's Charity Cup competition for all Women's teams competing in a Mainland Football competition in the Canterbury Championship League, Division 1 and Sunday League teams. This is the 1st edition of the Women's Charity Cup.
This season the cup will help raise awareness and support for Chch Aunties.
Matches to played over ANZAC weekend of 25 April. Both Waimakariri United teams (Blue and Red) and UCAFC 3rd XI Maroon receive a bye to the second round.