The 2024 Zone Football League season is in full swing with the return of promotion and relegation and the historic connection of the football pyramid making it one of the most anticipated seasons in 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 last year that the men’s Hunter football pyramid would be connected for the first time from the NPL Men’s NNSW and HIT106.9 Northern League One competitions through to Zone League One, Two and Three, allowing for the return of promotion and relegation.
Zone Football League One
The race for promotion is already a tight contest for Zone League One teams, with the 2024 premiers automatically promoted to the HIT106.9 Northern League One competition in 2025.
Newcastle Olympic sits at the top of the table with nine points after three rounds. Newcastle Suns , Warners Bay FC and Dudley United FC are three points behind the league leaders and all have their sights set on promotion.
Minmi are at the bottom of the table with zero points but are only one point behind four teams including Mayfield United Senior FC, Hamilton Azzurri, Westlakes FC and Swansea FC.
Zone Football League Two
Zone League Two’s competition has started fiercely with multiple teams vying to be promoted into Zone League One at the end of the season.
One of the competition’s new sides, Cooks Hill United has made the strongest push for promotion, as they sit at the top of the table with seven points after three rounds.
North United Wolves, Newcastle Croatia, Merewether Advance and Stockton Sharks are all one point behind the league leaders and will continue to fight for the top spot.
South Maitland FC is at the foot of the table with zero points, with Mayfield United JSFC and 2023 premiers Croudace Bay United only one point above them.
Zone Football League Three
All 12 teams are pushing for the chance to finish at the top of the table and be promoted to Zone League Two in 2025.
Nelson Bay FC is at the top of the table with nine points after three rounds and are three points clear of premiership runners-up Lambton Jaffas JSC. Garden Suburb FC is not far behind on six points before a two-point gap to Kurri Kurri FC, Barnsley FC and Charlestown FC, who are all on four points.
Two of the new sides to the competition, Lake Macquarie City FC and Southern Lakes United, find themselves at the foot of the table with zero points.
NNSW Men’s NPL
New Lambton FC, Adamstown Rosebud and Lake Macquarie City FC are most at risk of relegation after seven rounds of the NPL Men’s NNSW competition. . New Lambton have one point, while Adamstown and Lakes have two and three points respectively.
The team who comes last in NPL will be relegated to HIT106.9 Northern League One in 2025, while the team that finishes 11th must survive the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Series to feature in NPL next season.
HIT106.9 Northern League One
Belmont Swansea United have started the competition with a bang, nine points clear at the top of the 106.9 Northern League One table with 21 points after nine rounds.
They are the strong favourites for automatic promotion to NPL Men’s NNSW for the 2025 season.
Kahibah FC, Thornton Redbacks and Toronto Awaba are in line to be part of the promotion play-offs.
No HIT106.9 teams will be relegated in 2024.
