- National First Division
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National First Division Countries South Africa
Confederation South African Football Association Founded 1996 Divisions 1 Number of teams 16 Levels on pyramid 2 Promotion to Premier Soccer League Relegation to Vodacom League Domestic cup(s) Nedbank Cup Current champions Jomo Cosmos
(2010-11)Most championships Free State Stars, Jomo Cosmos (2 titles) Website Official Site 2011–12 National First Division season
The National First Division (NFD) is the second-highest league of South African club football (soccer) after the Premier Soccer League (PSL). Both the NFD and PSL are organised by the National Soccer League.
Contents
Structure and rules
For seasons in 2007-11
The restructured NFD is divided into two streams, one inland and another coastal – each of which consists of 8 teams. The winners of the two streams will play against each other in a 'final' at the end of the season – the winner of which will be promoted to the PSL. The loser of the 'final' will play in a mini-tournament/play-offs against the two second-placed teams in each stream and the 15th-placed team on the PSL log. The winner of this tournament will also be automatically promoted to the top flight.
Inland provinces
- Gauteng
- Limpopo
- Mpumalanga
- North West
Coastal provinces
- Eastern Cape
- Free State
- KwaZulu-Natal
- Northern Cape
- Western Cape
For seasons after 2011
A new structure and new rules were decided, beginning from the 2011-12 season. The new rules are, that competing NFD teams, at all times during NFD matches, are required to field:[1]
- Minimum 5 South African born under 23 players.
- Maximum 3 foreign players.
The new structure of the league, is a re-introduction of the one division format, previously used for the three seasons in 2004-07. This means, that the two former geographical split streams, will merge into one common division. The winner of the NFD will gain automatic promotion to PSL (replacing the lowest ranked team in PSL). Teams to finish 2nd and 3rd in NFD, will enter a playoff stage with a round robin format, against the team ranked as nr.15 in PSL. Only the winner of this playoff stage, will also get promoted to PSL.[1]
Relegation/promotion rules between NFD and Vodacom League remain more or less unchanged. Meaning that after each season, the two lowest ranked teams in NFD will be automatically relegated to Vodacom League. In the opposite direction, the two best teams of Vodacom League will get promoted to NFD, decided by a round robin playoff stage between the 9 provincial winners.
Member clubs 2011–12
- African Warriors
- Atlie FC
- Bay United
- Blackburn Rovers
- Carara Kicks
- Chippa United
- Dynamos
- FC AK
- FC Cape Town
- Mpumalanga Black Aces
- Sivutsa Stars
- Thanda Royal Zulu
- United FC
- University of Pretoria
- Vasco Da Gama
- Witbank Spurs
League table
for updated standings visit PSL.co.za
History
The first non-racial Second Level of South African football, was established in March 1987 as the OK League.[2] This league served as the competing place, for promotion/relegation to and from the topflight NSL. In the former years from 1978–1986, a topflight non-racial First Level had already been established, after the merger of the NFL and NPSL, to form the new common topflight NPSL. In the early years from 1978–1986 relegation/promotion to and from the topflight league, according to official records actually did happen, but apparently it happened from a Second Level league structure, still divided into whites/blacks/coloureds.[3]
When the new topflight Premier Soccer League was established in 1996, the organizers at the same time for the Second Level, replaced the former OK League with the new National First Division. Apart from being covered by a better sponsor deal, the most significant change -both at the First and Second Level- was to change the fixtures from yearly seasons, into the more Internationally adapted: September–May football season.
From 2004 until 2007 the league was sponsored by business magnate Tokyo Sexwale's Mvelaphanda Group and known as Mvela Golden League. For those three seasons, there was no geographical split and all 16 teams played in one division. In regards of all other previous seasons, there was a geographical split into two or four streams. Recently it was however announced, that the National First Division has decided to re-introduce the structure with no geographical split, for the 2011–12 season.[1]
Streams Year Western Cape Natal/Eastern/Cape Northern Southern Winner Winner Winner Winner 1996/97[4] Santos African Wanderers Black Leopards Tembisa Classic Streams Year Coastal Inland Winner Runner-up Winner Runner-up 1997/98[5] Seven Stars Warriors Dynamos Witbank Aces 1998/99[6] African Wanderers Avendale Athletico Tembisa Classic Ria Stars 1999/00[7] Golden Arrows Avendale Athletico Ria Stars Dynamos 2000/01[8] Amazulu Park United Black Leopards Bloemfontein Young Tigers 2001/02[9] African Wanderers Avendale Athletico Dynamos Silver Stars 2002/03[10] AmaZulu Premier United Silver Stars Bloem Celtic 2003/04[11] Bush Bucks Avendale Athletico Bloemfontein Celtic Free State Stars National Winner Runner-up Third place Fourth place 2004/05[12] Free State Stars Durban Stars Hellenic F.C. Tembisa Classic 2005/06[13] Wits University City Pillars Vasco Da Gama Benoni Premier United 2006/07[14] Free State Stars Winners Park Pretoria University FC AK Streams Year Coastal Inland Winner Runner-up Winner Runner-up 2007/08[15] Maritzburg United Bay United FC AK Dynamos 2008/09[16] Carara Kicks FC Cape Town Jomo Cosmos Mpumalanga Black Aces 2009/10[17] Vasco Da Gama Nathi Lions Black Leopards African Warriors 2010/11[18] Bay United Thanda Royal Zulu Jomo Cosmos Black Leopards Promoted to PSLPlayoff losersSee also
References
- ^ a b c "First Division Streams to Merge". KickOff. http://www.kickoff.com/news/15279/first-division-streams-to-merge.php. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
- ^ "About the National First Division". PSL. http://www.psl.co.za/content.asp?id=16443. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ "South Africa 1978". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf78.html. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ "South Africa 1996/97". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf97.html. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ^ "South Africa 1997/98". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf98.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 1998/99". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf99.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 1999/00". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf00.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2002/03". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf01.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2001/02". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf02.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2002/03". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf03.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2003/04". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf04.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2004/05". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf05.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2005/06". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf06.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2006/07". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf07.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2007/08". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf08.html. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2008/09". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf09.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2009/10". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf2010.html. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "South Africa 2010/11". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf2011.html. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
External links
- Premier Soccer League Official Website
- National First Division section @ psl.co.za
- South African Football Association (SAFA)
- Confederation of African Football (CAF)
Football in South Africa National teams MenNational team (Bafana Bafana) · Olympic (U-23) (Amaglug-glug) · U-20 · U-17 · development (Amabinneplaas)WomenLeague system MenActiveDefunctNFL (1959-77) · SASL (1961-67) · FPL (1969-90) · NPSL Castle League for blacks (1971-77) · NPSL Castle League (1978-84) · NPSL (1985-95) · NSL Castle League (1985-95) · OK League (1985-95)Domestic cups MenActiveDefunctNFL Cup (1959-77) · Baymed Cup (2006) · Telkom Charity Cup (1986-2010) · Carling Black Label Cup (2011)Awards Footballer of the Year · Top scorers · SAFA Awards · PSL AwardsLists All-time Table · Champions · Clubs · Club name changes · International footballers · Foreign players · VenuesMen's clubs · Women's clubs · Men's players · Women's players · Expatriate players · Managers · Referees · Venues · Seasons · RecordsSeasons in South African soccer Premiership Teams (2011-12) Ajax Cape Town · AmaZulu · Bidvest Wits · Black Leopards · Bloemfontein Celtic · Free State Stars · Golden Arrows · Jomo Cosmos · Kaizer Chiefs · Mamelodi Sundowns · Maritzburg United · Moroka Swallows · Black Aces · Orlando Pirates · Platinum Stars · Santos · Supersport UnitedFirst Division Teams (2011-12) African Warriors · Atlie · Bay United · Blackburn Rovers · Carara Kicks · Chippa United · Dynamos · FC AK · FC Cape Town · Hanover Park · Mpumalanga Black Aces · Pretoria University · Sivutsa Stars · Thanda Royal Zulu · United FC · Vasco da Gama · Witbank SpursPremier Soccer League 1996–97 · 1997–98 · 1998–99 · 1999–2000 · 2000–01 · 2001–02 · 2002–03 · 2003–04 · 2004–05 · 2005–06 · 2006–07 · 2007–08 · 2008–09 · 2009–10 · 2010–11 · 2011–12National First Division 1996–97 · 1997–98 · 1998–99 · 1999–2000 · 2000–01 · 2001–02 · 2002–03 · 2003–04 · 2004–05 · 2005–06 · 2006–07 · 2007–08 · 2008–09 · 2009–10 · 2010–11 · 2011–12Vodacom League 1998–99 · 1999–2000 · 2000–01 · 2001–02 · 2002–03 · 2003–04 · 2004–05 · 2005–06 · 2006–07 · 2007–08 · 2008–09 · 2009–10 · 2010–11Nedbank Cup Telkom Knockout 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011MTN 8 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 2000 · 2001 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011Telkom Charity Cup 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010Carling Black Label Cup 2011Vodacom Challenge Categories:- National First Division
- Football Leagues in South Africa
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