Women's Central League (New Zealand)


The New Zealand Women's Central League '' is an association football league competition administered by Capital Football for women's club teams located in the Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Taranaki and Gisborne–Tairāwhiti regions of the North Island, New Zealand.
The WCL is within the second level of New Zealand Football, below New Zealand Women's National League, and is the highest level of club based football available to teams within the Wellington Region and Central Districts of the lower North Island of New Zealand.
Clubs are promoted to the WCL via seasonal playoff through qualification from the Capital Football Women's Premier League or the Central Football Women's Regional Federation League.

League history

The Women's Central League was launched in 1994.
The league went into recess from 1999 until 2003, recommencing in 2004.
Petone won the first five WCL titles in succession, from 1994 to 1998.
Wellington United won four successive WCL titles, from 2018 to 2021.
In 2024 the Women's Central League was expanded to include 10 clubs.

W.C.L.|Records

Past Champions

Source:

WCL Top Scorer

Goals/PlayerSeasonClub
35 goals ⚽️
Natalie Olson
2025Wellington United
12 goals ⚽️
Nikki Furukawa
2024Waterside Karori
17 goals ⚽️
Mikaela Boxall
2023Palmerston North Marist
15 goals ⚽️
Renee Bacon
2022Waterside Karori
18 goals ⚽️
Torijan Lyne-Lewis
2021Wairarapa United
26 goals ⚽️
Jemma Robertson
2020Wellington United
15 goals ⚽️
Kaley Ward
2019Waterside Karori
13 goals ⚽️
Dani Ohlsson
2018Wellington United
24 goals ⚽️
Sarah Gregorius
2017Upper Hutt City
22 goals ⚽️
Michaela Robertson
2016Wellington United
38 goals ⚽️
Jane Barnett
2015Massey University

2025

Seatoun were promoted to the 2026 Women's Central League as 2025 Women's Capital Premier champions. Seatoun won the 2025 qualifier against Manawatū Women's Championship winner, New Plymouth Rangers. Victoria University were relegated to the 2026 Women's Capital Premier.

2024

Miramar Rangers were promoted to the expanded 2025 Women's Central League with Manawatū club, Palmerston North United after the 2024 league qualification series. Seatoun were relegated to the 2025 Women's Capital Premier.

2023

Moturoa returned to the WCL after departing after the 2016 season. Moturoa were promoted to the 2024 Women's Central League after winning the 2023 Women's Central Federation League and Central/Capital promotion playoff against Capital qualifier, Horowhenua Coastal, at the expense of relegated club North Wellington.

2022

Taradale were promoted to the 2023 Central Region Premier W-League as 2022 Central Federation Premier Women's League champions increasing the league participants to include eight teams. The 2023 Women's Central League was won by Waterside Karori for the second year in succession.