Competition Information 2025 

Season Start Dates:

The Senior Season starts on the weekend of 5th April for all Senior competitions excluding Men's Southern League, Women's South Island League & Men's Canterbury Premiership (these competitions will start on the weekend of the 29th March). The Senior Season finishes on the 6th September.

The Youth/Junior Season will start on the 26th April and finishes on the 6th September. This is excluding the CDL grades, which will start on the weekend of the 5th April & finish on the weekend of the 13th September.


Season Breaks:

There will be no games played over Easter weekend for all community senior competitions & CDL grades.

There will be no games played over Kings Birthday weekend for all community Senior, Youth & Junior competitions. though there may be some Cup fixtures and will depend on the competition. Please view your competition page for more information.

Games will be played over Matariki weekend for most grades, please check your competition page for more information.

No Youth/Junior games are scheduled over the middle week of the school holidays (4th/ 5th July)

Cup Competitions

For all end-of-season cup competitions, there will be outlined regulations that govern these. As a general rule of thumb, there will be NO extra time. If the match finishes in a draw after full-time, then the game moves into a penalty shoot-out. (This does not apply to the English Cup and Reta Fitzpatrick Cup).

Junior and Youth Structure

For the 2025 season, Junior Grades will generally play in groups of 6 teams. Every 5 weeks (one round played) the grades will be re-graded with two teams moving up and two teams moving down in general, though sometimes the number of teams that move may vary as appropriate for the teams / grades. Groups may also be split by geography. This may be different depending on the number of entries at each band.

Youth will generally be split into divisions of 6 teams; with teams playing each other once to finish the grading round, and then the divisions will be regraded to ensure teams are competing in the grade-appropriate for their ability.

We will assess these grades throughout the season and make changes when required to provide appropriate levels of football for all teams.

Junior Standings and Results are not shown on the website and only kept for internal grading purposes. Junior Fixtures will be available to view through the results/fixtures page on the website.

Youth Standings and Results will be available to view through the results/fixtures page on the website.​​​​​​​

Senior Structure​​​​​​​

For the 2025 season, Senior Men's Divsion 2-10 will consist of 8 team leagues with a Mid-season promotion/relegation, this will generally be one team up & one team down however there is certain instances where we may promote/relegate multiple teams if we see fit. 

The New World Championship & Senior Men's Divison 1 will have no mid-season promotion/relegation and consist of 10 team leagues played over a double round robin format.

Substitution Rules

SENIORS:

Men's Southern League, Women's South Island League and Men's & Women's New World Premiership have five substitutions from five substitute players that can be made across 'three oppourtunities.' does not include halftime.

Women's & Men's 
New World Championship, Senior Men's & Senior Women's community competitions have rolling substitutes from seven substitute players. Substitutions can be made at any stoppage in play.

Masters have unlimited rolling substitutes.​​​​​​​

YOUTH & JUNIOR:

13th,14th,15th & 17th Boys Canterbury Development League(s) will have rolling substitutions from seven substitutions that can be made across 'three oppourtunities' that does not include halftime. 

All other youth grades will have rolling substitutions from seven substitute players. Substitutions can be made at a stoppage in play.

Junior grades have rolling substitutions, 9 a side has a maximum of four named substitutes, 7 a side has a maximum of three named substitutes.
​​​​​​​

Temporary Dismissals

Temporary Dismissals will be in place for any yellow card related to dissent in all competitions where a Mainland Football official referee is appointed. Information on temporary dismissals can be found here:

In all Senior Football the length of the temporary dismissals will be 10 minutes. 

In all Youth competitions, and the Boys Schools Premier XI the length of the temporary dismissals will be 7 minutes. 

2025 Competition Structure​​​​​​​

GradePlaying TimeStart TimeBreakEnd TimeField SizeA-SideSubsRollingBall Size
Seniors2 x 45 mins2:30pm10 mins4.10pmSenior117Yes5
19th Boys2 x 45 mins10:45am10 mins12.25pmSenior117Yes5
17th Boys2 x 40 mins12:30pm10 mins2:00pmSenior117Yes5
16th Girls2 x 40 mins10:45am10 mins12.15pmSenior117Yes5
15th Boys2 x 40 mins9:15am5 mins10.40amSenior117Yes5
14th Girls2 x 35 mins9:15am5 mins10.30amSenior117Yes5
14th Boys2 x 35 mins10:45am5 mins12.00pmSenior117Yes5
13th Boys2 x 35 mins9:15am5 mins10.30amSenior117Yes4
12th Girls2 x 30 mins10:50am5 mins11.55amIntermediate94Yes4
12th Boys2 x 30 mins10:50am5 mins11.55amIntermediate94Yes4
11th Boys2 x 25 mins9:45am5 mins10.40amIntermediate94Yes4
10th Girls2 x 25 mins10:30am5 mins11.25amJunior73Yes4
10th Boys2 x 25 mins9:30am5 mins10.25amJunior73Yes4
9th Mixed2 x 25 mins10:30am5 mins11.25amJunior7N/AYes

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Please note some individual grades may play at different times to above, e.g CDL grades.