New Zealand Football confirms 2020/21 season details

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New Zealand Football has confirmed the details and starting dates of its national competitions for the 2020/21 season.

The national men’s football league, the ISPS Handa Premiership will start in November, while the National Women’s League will commence from the weekend of October 31.

COVID-19 has also forced some structural changes to be made to both the men’s and women’s competitions.

In the ISPS Handa Premiership, the competition will feature eight club instead of the usual 10 teams. The South Island teams, Southern United, Tasman United and Canterbury United Dragons, will merge for the upcoming season. They will play under the Canterbury United Dragons name.

The competition will retain its usual format of a regular season with each team playing each other twice before a finals series including semi-finals and a grand final – the latter is expected to be held in March 2021.

Plans for a promotion and relegation framework have been postponed and will be reviewed before the 2021/22 season.

The National Women’s League will be played as a single round robin competition for this season. A grand final will be held on the weekend of December 19. The competition will feature all seven women’s teams.

“It has taken a lot of work with our clubs and federations to get to this stage but we are excited to now be able to confirm initial details of our national competitions for the upcoming season,” Daniel Farrow, General Manager of Football for New Zealand Football said in a statement.

“While Covid-19 and the knock-on effect of shifting community football dates has had an impact on the length of competitions and, in the case of the ISPS Handa Premiership, the number of teams able to take part, running men’s, women’s and futsal national league competitions this year was a key priority and we are very pleased to be able to make that happen.

“We also want to acknowledge the support of Sport NZ and our on-going partnership with Trillian Trust as key contributors to staging competitions this season.”

The 2019/20 ISPS Handa Premiership was called off early in March due to COVID-19. Auckland City, who were leading the competition at the time, were declared champions.

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Isabella Mossin awarded Ninja A-League Women Referee of the Year

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Image credit: Football NSW

The youngest recipient since its inception, Mossin will officially receive the award after leading the Ninja A-League Grand Final 2026 on Saturday.

 

A rapid rise

After debuting in 2023, Mossin has quickly proved quality, composure and confidence as a referee in the Ninja A-League.

As a result of the achievement, Mossin will be the appointed referee for this weekend’s Grand Final between Melbourne City FC and Wellington Phoenix.

After beginning in the North West Sydney Football Association, Mossin then honed her craft with the Football NSW Referee Academy, a journey with foundations truly embedded in youth development and grassroots football.

Thus, Mossin is not just am individual success story, but a symbol of what institutional investment and opportunities can do for young women looking for a pathway to the game.

 

Celebrating success

The plaudits, unsurprisngly, are arriving from across Australia’s football landscape, with many emphasising the incredible standards set by Mossin since her debut just three years ago.

“This award is testament to Isabella’s hard work and dedication to refereeing, and a great reflection of the next generation of referees coming through the system in Australia,” said A-Leagues CEO, Steve Rosich.

“At just 25 years of age, she has consistently demonstrated composure, leadership, strong decision-making and the ability to perform under pressure in some of the biggest matches in the competition,” highlighted Football Australia Head of Referees, Jon Moss.

“Having someone refereeing their first Ninja A-league Women’s Grand Final at the age of 25 years should inspire all girls and young women referees (and potential referees) and show them that age is not a barrier to talent being recognised within Football Australia refereeing,” said Chair of Football Australia Referee Committee, David Elleray.

Given Mossin’s reputation and experience already at the top level of women’s football in Australia, there is no doubt that she will rise to the occasion this Saturday.

Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

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Image Credit: Shutterstock

Female Football Week has officially begun across Northern NSW, with a program of gala days, networking events and awards ceremonies running until Sunday May 17, marking a ten-day celebration that organisers say reflects both the growth of women’s football in the region and the work still required to sustain it.

The national initiative, now a fixture on the football calendar, provides a dedicated period of visibility for female participants across all levels of the game from players, coaches, referees to volunteers, whose contributions have historically received less recognition than their male counterparts.

NNSWF Participation and Women’s Football Officer Serena Carter said the week offered something for everyone connected to women’s football in the region.

“Female Football Week provides a fantastic chance to highlight the dedication and skill of female players, coaches, referees and volunteers across the northern NSW community,” Carter said. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from grassroots participants to elite competitors.”

Women’s football in northern NSW spans remote and regional communities where clubs operate on limited resources, alongside more established metropolitan programs with clearer development pathways. Female Football Week creates a moment of shared recognition across that spectrum and acknowledges the role volunteers play, from running the canteen to progressing through the pathway.

Northern NSW Football has recorded some of its strongest participation numbers in women’s and girls’ football in recent seasons, a trend that has placed increasing pressure on clubs and facilities to keep pace. The week’s events offer clubs an opportunity to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion at a time when that commitment is being tested by growth.

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