NNSWF Announces Evolution of Women and Girls' Competitions
- intouch Magazine
- Mar 11
- 2 min read
Northern NSW Football has announced a plan to evolve its NPL Women’s NNSW and Premier Youth League Girls competitions as part of the broader progression of its premier competitions across northern NSW.
Northern NSW Football has announced a plan to evolve its NPL Women’s NNSW and Premier Youth League Girls competitions as part of the broader progression of its premier competitions across northern NSW.
NNSWF will decouple its NPLW NNSW and PYLG competitions from 2026 to enable increased accessibility to the highest level of football for aspirational clubs as well as targeted improvements at each level. Applications for clubs to seek entry into these competitions for the 2026 season opened on 8 March 2025.
NNSWF’s Women and Girls’ Premier Competition Structure Advisory Group was established last year and was made up of a diverse and experienced group of individuals including:
Lauren Edwards – NNSWF Board Member
Liam Bentley – NNSWF General Manager Football Operations
Ryan Doidge – NNSWF Technical Director
Allana Neave – NNSWF General Manager Women & Girls, Participation
Nat Boyd – NNSWF Women & Girls and Inclusion Officer
Sarah White – Hunter Valley Football General Manager
Kerry Conquest – NPL Women’s NNSW Standing Committee Chair
Rondah Stevenson – Regional Club Administrator (Alstonville FC)
Jen Willmott – Ireland Women’s National Team Manager and former Football Australia General Manager of Women’s National Teams
The key issues that were identified included:
No accessible and transparent pathway for new clubs to enter the women and girls’ pathway, except for taking over an already existing position from a transitioning club.
In the NPLW NNSW, the linkage between youth and senior competitions restricted flexibility, hindering development and competitive balance.
A need to ensure that competitions cater for growth.
The lack of clarity around the optimal number of clubs and its impact on the talent pipeline posed a risk to competition growth.
The perception of the gulf between premier and community football in the women and girls’ game, coupled with the number of more aspirational clubs across northern NSW.
The working group considered these issues and submitted a proposal to the NNSWF Board of Directors last year, which was accepted.
As a result, NNSWF will implement a two-phased plan aimed at continued evolution of its women and girls’ premier competitions, while fostering growth, inclusivity and excellence.
The roadmap was designed to balance immediate actions with long-term strategic goals, providing a structured pathway for new and existing clubs to contribute to the development of women and girls’ football as well as providing greater accessibility for players across the region.
