Northern NSW Football

Northern NSW Football

Formation	1887; 137 years ago (1887)
Headquarters	Newcastle, New South Wales
Parent organisation	Football Australia
Website	www.northernnswfootball.com.au

Northern NSW Football (NNSWF) is the governing body of soccer in the north of New South Wales, Australia. It is a member of the national governing body, Football Australia. The Federation's roots were go back to the formation of the Northern District British Football Association on 26 June 1887. To fall in line with the global football identity, the federation was re-branded to Northern NSW Football on 25 October 2006.^[1]

The Northern British Football Association was probably formed at a meeting of clubs at the Criterion Hotel, Newcastle on Sunday 26 June, 1887. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) Tue 28 Jun 1887, Page 8)

The clubs which formed the association were Minmi Rangers(1886), Hamilton Athletic(1886), Greta Blue Bells(1887), Carrington Black Watch(1887), Wallsend Rovers(1887), Glebe Black Watch(1887 - Renamed Burwood United)

The Northern British Football Association was part NSW Football Association.

In 1958, many Sydney clubs broke away from the association and formed a new body. Newcastle and Coalfields clubs were not wanted in this new body but would be tolerated. So the Northern clubs decided to run their competition. A 12 team First Division was conducted with: Blacksmith Rangers, West Wallsend, Adamstown, Cessnock, Merewether Advance, Cardiff, Weston, Newcastle Austral, Wallsend, Toronto Awaba, East Lakes, Mayfield United.

This was the beginning of the Northern NSW Soccer Federation.

On 7 May 1980, Northern NSW Soccer Federation Ltd was registered as a company.

On 25 October 2006, the Northern NSW Football was created due to internal restructuring and re-branding.^[2]

The NNSWF, the governing body for football in the northern regions of New South Wales, is Federation Member of Football Federation Australia (FFA) and as such reports directly to the FFA.^[3] There are seven constituent members of the NNSWF^[4] with each being responsible for a geographical Zone:

• Football Far North Coast
• Football Mid North Coast
• Hunter Valley Football
• Macquarie Football
• Newcastle Football
• North Coast Football
• Northern Inland Football

The National Premier Leagues Northern NSW (NPL NNSW), previously known as the NBN State League is the premier competition in Northern NSW involving 12 clubs from within the Hunter Region. The competition consists of four (7) grades – 1st Grade, Reserve Grade, Under 18's, Under 16's, Under 15's, Under 14's and Under 13's. From 2025, the 1st Grade competition will consist of twelve (12) teams due to the promotion of Belmont Swansea United from Northern League One.

The Northern League One is the underpinning competition to the National Premier Leagues Northern NSW with promotion and relegation between the leagues. From 2025, the competition will involve 10 clubs from within the Hunter Region. The competition consists of seven (7) grades – 1st Grade, Reserve Grade, Under 18s, Under 16s, Under 15s, Under 14s and Under 13s.^[5]

Consisting of three divisions Zone League One with 12 clubs, Zone League Two and Zone League Three with 10 clubs each, there will be promotion and relegation between Northern League One and Zone League One, Zone League Two, Zone League Three which compete in between the 4 divisions.

The Women's Premier League is the premier women's competition and involves six clubs from within NNSW.^[6]

^[7]

• 1907 Senior Competition abandoned for rebuild. All age competition.

• Official website