New Zealand Football have released plans for a Youth National League catering for U-18 girls and U-17 boys, and starting later this year.
The new structure replaces the National Age Group Tournament (NAGT) format as the country’s top national youth competition.
The girls’ Youth National League will feature four clubs to qualify from the Lotto NRFL, and will be joined by teams representing regional federations from the rest of the country.
The boys’ Youth National League will comprise a mix of fully accredited clubs and federation representative teams.
In its announcement, New Zealand Football say the changes reflect their aim of minimising the costs of participation to make the competitions financially sustainable, and to provide more meaningful training and matches over a longer period.
The New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) and FIFA have provided funding for the competitions, helping reduce the costs to participants and their families to no more than $250 + GST, a reduction from more $500 per participant under the NAGT format.
“This is a significant progression in our youth development space,” says New Zealand Football technical director Andy Boyens.
“The opportunity for our up-and-coming footballers as well as those coaches, referees and other support people to be exposed to a higher level and prolonged season of development and competition is huge.
“We’re really excited to see the Youth National League kick off in a few months.”
The girls’ U-18s competition, aligned with the women’s National League, will begin in mid-September. All teams will play seven games.
The four Lotto NRFL clubs to qualify for the women’s National League will also have an U-18 girls’ team in the Youth National League.
The four federation teams that currently compete in the women’s National League (Central Football, Capital Football, Canterbury United Pride and Southern United) will also establish an U-18 team each to participate in the Youth National League.
The boys’ U-17 competition will mirror the men’s National League, with a regional phase (Northern, Central and Southern Leagues) after the winter season and a national phase for the finals series in October.
The league will break for the week-long New Zealand Secondary Schools Football Tournament staring on Monday August 29
Youth Northern League
13 teams will be split into two pools, one of six teams and another of seven teams, and will each play six times in a round-robin competition.
Three teams will qualify for the finals series: The winner of each pool and the winner of a play-off game between the two second-placed teams.
Youth Central League
11 teams will be split into two pools of six teams, and will each play five games in a round-robin competition.
Three teams will qualify for the finals series: The winner of each pool and the winner of a play-off game between the two second-placed teams.
Youth Southern League
12 teams (eight from Mainland, four from Football South) will be split into two pools of six, and each team will play five times in a round-robin competition.
Two teams will qualify for the finals series: The winner of each pool.
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