Central League 2 (MCL2) is an amateur status league run by Capital Football and Central Football for association football clubs located in the southern and central parts of the North Island.
Central League 2 is a New Zealand tier three competition during the New Zealand winter season, and sits at below the Central League and above the Eastern Premiership, Western Premiership and Capital Premier.
The league started for the 2025 season after being officially announced in 2023.
Clubs of both federations showed support of reintroducing the competition with 85% of Central clubs and 79% of Capital clubs voting in favour of the league.
The league currently comprises 10 teams, who play each other twice in the season on a home-and-away basis and at the conclusion of the season the winner are crowned champions. The bottom side is relegated automatically to their regional league (either Capital Premier or Western and Eastern Premierships), with the top side automatically promoted to the Central League.
As of the 2025 season.
The following list is from the 2025 season onwards. New Zealand Football reinstated the Central League second division after disbanding the initial competition at the end of the 1999 season.
From 2025, Central League 2 has again acted as the qualifier league to the Central League.
2024 Central League 2 (2025) Play-off Series
Taradale, Te Kotahitanga, Seatoun and Douglas Villa qualify for 2025 Central League 2.
Following the collapse of the Central Federation League, Havelock North Wanderers and Gisborne Thistle joined the 2025 Eastern Premiership, New Plymouth Rangers joined the 2025 Western Premiership. Victoria University returned to 2025 Capital Premier.
2025 Central League 2 (2026) Promotion Play-off Series.
Wainuiomata won 5 â 4 on aggregate and gained promotion to the 2026 Central League 2 competition. They replace Te Kotahitanga relegated to the Capital Premier.
The following records are from the 2025 season onwards after the reâÂÂformation of Central League 2.