By Joan Grey
The new-look Lotto NRFL Women’s Championship gets underway with a couple of floodlit games kicking off the season on Friday (March 24).
This season’s revamped eight-team Championship competition runs for 21 rounds across the wider Auckland and Waikato-Bay of Plenty (WaiBOP) regions.
WaiBOP league winners Otumoetai and former premier team Tauranga City join six Auckland clubs in the tussle for the 2023 championship title.
Home and away advantage likely looms more prominent in this geographically-expanded competition.
With two home teams, Tauranga football supporters will have plenty of chances to see top-tier women’s football in their backyard.
The reward for winning the championship is promotion to the 2024 Women’s Premier League.
Fixtures
Games to be played on Friday March 24, 2023
Fencibles United v Te Atatu
William Green Domain, Auckland, 7.30 pm
Manukau United v Franklin United
Mangere Centre Park, Auckland, 7.30 pm
Games to be played on Sunday March 26, 2023
Otumoetai v Onehunga Sports
Fergusson Park, Tauranga, 1 pm
Tauranga City v Central United
Links Ave Reserve, Tauranga, 1 pm
Joan Grey
Friends of Football writer Joan Grey loves playing and writing about football. She attends ACG Strathallan College and plays football for Franklin United.
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