Country Australia Date founded 1992 | Number of teams 11 Domestic cup FFA Cup | |
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Relegation to Northern NSW State League Division 1 Current premiers Edgeworth Eagles (2016) Level on pyramid Australian soccer league system Teams Edgeworth FC, Broadmeadow Magic FC, Lambton Jaffas FC, Hamilton Olympic FC, Weston Workers Bears FC | ||
The National Premier Leagues Northern NSW is a regional Australian semi-professional association football league comprising teams from Northern New South Wales. As a subdivision of the National Premier Leagues, the league sits at Level 1 on the Northern New South Wales league system (Level 2 of the overall Australian league system). The competition is administered by Northern NSW Football, the governing body of the sport in the northern region of the state (the southern region governed by Football NSW). Prior to 2014, the league was formally known as the Northern NSW State Football League.
Contents
History
The league originally started with 12 teams, all with a first grade, reserve grade and youth grade team. The league was then downsized to 10 teams still with all three grades. For the 2009 season it was decided by Northern New South Wales Football (the governing body) to downsize the league once again to 8 teams in order to improve the quality and give local players a chance to enter the A-league through the competition. The teams competing in the 2009 season were decided on the second of September 2008, with Highfields Azzurri FC and Lake Macquarie City Roosters FC being relegated to the NewFM Football League.
Teams were judged on criteria which included facilities/ground (30%), financial status (25%), management (20%), playing strength/coaching staff (15%) and development program (10%). An independent body, chaired by former NSW gaming minister Richard Face, was assigned to make the decision.
From the 2017 season onward the competition will once again expanded to 11 teams with Lake Macquarie being promoted from the NewFM Football League.
Format
The competition consists of 11 teams from around the Newcastle and Hunter area who each have a 1st-division side, a reserve team, a youth division team and an U/17 side. A season takes place over 18 rounds, with each team playing each other at home and away. The team that finishes 1st at the end of 18 rounds is declared the minor premier. The top 4 teams at the end of 18 rounds contest the finals series, a home and away knockout system played with the away goals rule (1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd) with the winners meeting in the grand final. The winner of the grand final is crowned as the major premier.
Nominally the 11th-placed team each year is relegated to the NewFM Division, however promotion/relegation has been placed on hold until the 2020 season.
Clubs
The following 11 clubs are competing in the National Premier Leagues Northern NSW during the 2017 season.