The 2025 Zone Football League season is heating up with the return of promotion and relegation and the historic connection of the football pyramid last season, making it one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory.
The Zone Football League, including the Zone League One, Zone League Two and Zone League Three competitions, is administered by the Newcastle Football, Macquarie Football and Hunter Valley Football member zones.
NNSWF and the three member zones announced in 2023 that the men’s Hunter football pyramid would be connected from NPL Men’s NNSW and HIT106.9 Northern League One competitions down to Zone League One, Two and Three, with the return of promotion and relegation from 2024.
Zone Football League One
The race for promotion is picking up pace for Zone League One teams, with the 2025 premiers automatically promoted to the HIT106.9 Northern League One competition in 2026.
Newly promoted Newcastle Croatia sits at the top of the table six points clear of Kotara South FC in second position (26 points). Newcastle Suns are hot on their tail in third position (25 points) but have two games in hand.
University of Newcastle FC sit in fourth three points behind Newcastle Suns but only six points separates them from Cardiff City FC in eighth (16 points).
Hamilton Azzurri remain at the bottom of the table with one point. Azzurri trail Westlakes Wildlakes by three points and newly promoted Stockton Sharks by six.
Zone Football League Two
Croudace Bay FC remain favourites for the premiership and promotion to Zone League One after 13 rounds of Zone League Two.
Croudace Bay sit at the top of the table five points clear of North United Wolves in second position (31 points).
Cooks Hill United (third) and Lambton Jaffas Junior (fourth) are both 14 points away from the top spot but with nine rounds remaining they will continue to fight for the top spot.
Mayfield United Junior SFC and New Lambton Junior FC sit at the bottom of the table locked on six points and are at risk of relegation, with South Maitland FC only three points ahead.
Zone Football League Three
Zone League Three teams have continued to push for the chance to finish at the top of the table and be promoted in 2026.
Greta Branxton FC is at the top of the table with 28 points after 13 rounds and are four points clear of Kurri Kurri FC in second. Medowie FC (21 points) and Southern Lakes United FC (19 points) are not far behind in third and fourth. But with all teams having games in hand, the quest for the top spot is still open.
Flecther FC are at the foot of the table with two points, with Bellbird FC six points ahead in 10th.
NPL Men’s NNSW
New Lambton FC, Valentine FC, Cooks Hill United and Adamstown Rosebud are most at risk of relegation after 16 rounds of the NPL Men’s competition.
New Lambton FC has six points, Valentine and Cooks Hill have 12 points each while Adamstown has 13 points.
The team that comes last in NPL will be relegated to HIT106.9 Northern League One in 2026, while the team that finishes 11th must survive the Promotion/Relegation Play-Offs to feature in the NPL next season.
HIT106.9 Northern League One
Toronto Awaba FC sit two points clear at the top of the table after 13 rounds of HIT106.9 Northern League One but will be tested in the race for automatic promotion when they face second-placed Kahibah FC in round 14.
Singleton Strikers and Lake Macquarie will be joining one of Toronto Awaba and Kahibah in the promotion play-offs.
But West Wallsend SFC, Thornton Redbacks, Dudley Redhead United SFC and South Cardiff’s hopes are still alive to feature in the play-offs with only four points separating third and eighth.
Wallsend FC and Cessnock City Hornets are most at risk of relegation. Wallsend have 11 points while Cessnock have 12 points.
The team that finishes 11th in the NPL Men’s NNSW will join the teams that finish second, third and fourth in HIT106.9 Northern League One in a promotion/relegation play-off series to determine the 12th team in NPL Men’s NNSW in 2026.
From 2025, the team that finishes 10th will be relegated to Zone League One.
