WaiBOP Football

In 2026, U15 Girls Leagues are launching in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty

We’re pretty excited about these new leagues, which we believe are a big step to strengthen the female football pathway across our region. There are other changes happening in younger leagues to align with the Whole of Football 2.0 Framework, and the age for girls to play senior women's football has increased.

Details about the coming changes, and why they are happening:

We’ve listened to the players.
Many girls have told us they don’t want to be forced to choose between club football and school football.

By scheduling the U15 Girls League on Sundays, we’re giving the option of playing either or both, not having to choose.

A natural progression.
The U15 Girls League will be 11-a-side, played on Sundays, the same as the WaiBOP Senior Women's leagues (and the Federation Boys Leagues).

The U15 league will be open to U14 and U15 girls, which roughly aligns to Years 9 & 10, the first two years of High School.

Regional Structure
To reduce travel, we're planning to have two U15 Girls leagues, one in the Bay of Plenty and one in Waikato, and to run some crossover fixtures during the season (just like 2025's U14 Leagues).

This is dependant on the number of teams entered in the league, and where they are from.

NEW U13 Girls League

We're introducing new U13 Girls Leagues in 2026. These combined 12th/13th Grade competitions roughly align with years 7 & 8 (intermediate school), better aligning with friend groups.

Why? This aligns with the Whole of Football 2.0 changes, which have shifted age bands and playing formats up by one year. In areas where dual age bands are used, this now means leagues will be U9, U11, U13 (instead of the old U8, U10 and U12).

There will be no U14 Girls Leagues

Introducing the new U13 and U15 leagues means that the U14 Girls Leagues will no longer run.

We've found that these leagues have been dominated by younger players - mostly 12th and 13th Grade players, with only a few Grade 14s. 76% of girls in this year’s U14 competition were turning 12 or 13 years old. This data shows us that U13 Leagues are a better fit.

Senior Women’s Age Criteria Update
The minimum age for 2026 has been raised to 16 years old (players must have turned 16 before participating)
Dispensation can be requested for 15 year olds (parental consent required).

This means that any player who got dispensation to play senior women's football in 2025 will need to request dispensation again for 2026.

U15 Girls League Overview

Day of Play: Sundays

Format: 11-a-side

Age: Girls born in 2011 or 2012 (turning 14 or 15 in 2026)
Dispensation may be considered on a case-by-case basis

Entry: Open to club teams

Coaching: No minimum qualification required, though coaches are encouraged to pursue NZF Youth Level 1 or 2 qualification.

Why?

Provide a safe and developmentally appropriate youth football environment for girls
Allow girls to play for school and club if they wish
Reduce pressure to transition prematurely into senior football
Allows youth girls to maintain a connection to their club.

Having these leagues run on a Sunday aligns with our senior women's competitions. In some areas, it will allow games to be scheduled prior to women's games, giving clubs a showcase of female football.

However, we acknowledge that the move to Sundays also presents challenges. Some coaches already have Sunday football commitments, either coaching or playing themselves, which may affect their availability to coach female youth teams on Sundays.

We recognise the value of our Senior Women players as coaches. These players are passionate, capable individuals who contribute meaningfully to youth development, and we’re committed to preserving and expanding those connections.

Across several regional meetings, a number of suggestions have been made, with diferent clubs having diferent structures.

2025 Coaching Analysis

Of the 33 U14 Girls teams competing this year, 30 were coached by male coaches. Some clubs will continue to have their U15 teams coached by male coaches.

Coach + Assistant for Game day

Some coaches who may be unavailable on Sundays will coach during the week, but have an assistant or parent lead the team on Sundays.

Female coaches can continue to lead U13 Girls teams on Saturdays.
The new U13 Girls Leagues will be played on Saturdays. Some female coaches involved in Senior Women’s football will coach U13 sides, and therefore still play a key role in developing younger players.

Supporting Female Coaches Through Smart Scheduling
Where possible, we’ll work with clubs to explore scheduling games to allow coaches to stay involved across multiple teams and competitions.

We’re planning ahead — together.
We’re giving clubs time to assess their coaching capacity and work on solutions that work for their unique situations.

With thoughtful planning and open communication, we believe we can support both youth and senior spaces without compromise.