New Zealand Football has proposed the biggest shake-up of its national leagues in more than 15 years.
In a document sent to key stakeholders on Friday, which Stuff has seen, the governing body has proposed a switch to a club-based ‘Champions League’ model where the top teams from regional winter competitions would qualify for an eight to 10-team national championship.
The Northern, Central and Southern conferences would run from March to September, with the Champions League phase taking place between September and December to find a national champion.
It is a throwback to the Superclub competition which was staged briefly between 1993-95.
Feedback on the proposal is due to be received by November 20. NZ Football said it will publish the outcome by the end of the month.
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If adopted, it is proposed the new competition structure for men’s football would be implemented from 2021, while the establishment of a new structure for women’s football would require a longer timeframe.
The proposal comes at the conclusion of NZ Football’s delivery and sustainable project, launched in April in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement, NZ Football said: “At present the national league systems proposal, developed as part of the delivery and sustainability project by representatives from across football in Aotearoa New Zealand, is with voting members and individual men’s national league clubs who are consulting their own members for wider feedback.
“New Zealand Football will wait until after the feedback has been considered before commenting on the proposal.”
The 2020-21 ISPS Handa Men’s Premiership is due to kickoff on November 14, while the Women’s Premiership got underway last weekend.
The Men’s Premiership – now contested by Auckland City, Waitakere United, Eastern Suburbs, Hamilton Wanderers, Hawke’s Bay United, Team Wellington, Wellington Phoenix reserves and Canterbury United – was established in 2004.
Only Eastern Suburbs and Hamilton Wanderers currently compete in regional winter competitions as well.
Defending champions Auckland City have won the competition a record eight times.
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