Northern Lights is a women's football team representing the

Northern Football Federation The Northern Football Federation (NFF) was an association football organisation, responsible for local growth and developing the game in West Auckland, New Zealand, West Auckland, North Shore and Northland, New Zealand. In 2020 it was merged wi ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. They currently play in the National Women's League, the top level of women's football in New Zealand. The team was previously known as Northern Football, until they were re-branded in 2018

History

Originally known as Northern Football, the team made their debut in the National Women's League in 2010-11, qualifying for the playoffs unbeaten, but losing 10–1 to Waikato-Bay of Plenty in the semi-final. The team have won the New Zealand Championship three times, firstly in 2011-12, beating Waikato-Bay of Plenty in the play off final 3–0, and then again the following season, this time going undefeated and beating Auckland Football 2–0 in the final. They were unable to make it a hat trick of championships in

2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...

however, losing 4–2 to Mainland Pride in the final, despite topping the regular season table. In

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

the team failed to make the playoffs, finishing sixth in the regular season, winning only two of their seven games. They then won their third title in the

2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...

, finishing second after the regular season, they went on to beat the NZ Development Squad 4–3 in the semi-final before going on to beat first place Mainland Pride in the final 3–4 away from home, denying their opponents a three-peat of competition titles. On 28 August 2018, it was decided that the women's teams from

would be re-branded as the Northern Lights to provide an identity for the teams, players, staff and supporters and to help build on the growth of the Female game within the region.

Final Appearances

*2011: Northern Football* vs Waikato-Bay of Plenty (3-0) *2012: Northern Football* vs Auckland Football Federation (2-0) *2013: Northern Football* vs Mainland Pride (2-4) *2015: Northern Football vs Mainland Pride* (4–3) *2018: Canterbury United Pride* v Northern Lights (3–2) *Home team for final.

References

{{Association football in New Zealand Women's association football clubs in New Zealand