Papua New Guinea W

Foundation

The National Soccer League was started by David Chung, the President of the Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA), in 2006. It was the first nationwide semi-professional football league, and a step up from the amateur Papua New Guinea National Club Championship, which had been in existence since 1976. In the first season, the semi-professional and amateur champions played a two-legged playoff to decide that year's qualifier for the OFC Champions League.

Since its inception, with the exception of the 2015–16 season, it has consisted of an initial league phase, with each team playing other twice, before the top four teams enter a knockout championship playoff, with the eventual league champion decided in a one-legged grand final.

2006–2012: Early years and Hekari dominance

The first eight editions of the competition were won by Hekari United / PNG Hekari FC, under different names. In 2006, five teams entered the competition from five different provinces: Port Moresby (PRK Souths United), Lae (TL Blue Kumuls), Central Province (Gelle Hills), Madang (Madang Flying Fox) and Mount Hagen (Welgris Momads). A sixth side, to come from Lae, Kimbe or Bougainville, eventually did not enter. PRK Souths United won, defeating Gelle Hills 2–0 in the Grand Final. However, they failed to qualify for the OFC Champions League after a 4–2 aggregate defeat to amateur side University Inter in the Overall Final.

The 2007–08 season was played in late 2007 and early 2008, and became known as the Telikom NSL Cup, due to sponsorship reasons. All five of the founding members entered once again, albeit under various names: TL Blue Kumuls became Morobe FC; Welgris Momads became Welgris Highlanders; PRK Souths United became Hekari United; and Madang Flying Fox became simply Madang Fox. Furthermore, two new teams entered, Rapatona FC and Besta Madang. The top four teams in the regular season qualified for the Championship playoffs, with Hekari United finishing top of the regular season and defeating Gelle Hills in the final again.

In the 2008–09 season, the league was expanded to eight teams, albeit with three from the previous season not taking part. Madang Fox and Besta Madang withdrew, while Gelle Hills application was rejected in favour of a new tem Sepik FC. Also joining the league were Eastern Stars, Nabasa United and University Inter. Hekari and Inter were first and second in the regular season table, but it was Hekari and Rapatona who were due to meet in the Grand Final; however, following postponements on 21 March and 28 March, the PNGFA awarded the championship and qualification to the OFC Champions League to Hekari United by virtue of their higher league position.

The 2009–10 season saw the league expanded once again, to encapsulate nine teams. Sepik FC withdrew after failing to submit a letter of interest, while Welgris Highlanders missed the application deadline. Nabasa United also withdrew, while Gelle Hills and Madang Fox were reinstated. There were new entries from Tukoko University FC and Besta PNG United, the latter of which acted as the national U-20 squad. Hekari United again finished top of the regular season table, and played Gigira Laitepo in the Grand Final, winning 5–0.

For the first time since its inception, the number of teams decreased ahead of the 2010–11 season, with Gelle Hills, Rapatona FC and University Inter all withdrawing, while Petro Souths FC joined the league for the first time. That left seven sides taking part, with Hekari finishing the season unbeaten and top of the league, defeating Eastern Stars 4–0 in the final.

The 2011–12 season saw relative stability within the league, with only one side (Madang Fox) withdrawing, being replaced by new entrants Bulolo United. Hekari United once again finished top of the regular season and played Eastern Stars in the Grand Final for the second consecutive season, winning 3–0.

In July 2012, PNGFA president and league founder David Chung was named as a recipient of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

2013–2016: Difficulties and disillusionment

2013 saw a delay. By late December 2012, only four teams had completed the registration process: defending champions Hekari United, Besta United PNG, Welgris Highlanders, returning from a three-year absence, and newcomers West New Britain Tavur. Another new franchise, FC Port Moresby, joined in early January. The NSL had decided to go ahead with the league with just six teams, the lowest since the inaugural season. Morobe FC and NC Civil Works Oro FC, submitted their registration on the same day. This led to Hekari United's owner, John Kapi Natto, urging the NSL to re-adjust the league to cater for all teams. It was on 29 January that the teams were confirmed, with the addition of Eastern Stars.

The NSL board took further criticism from new side WNB Tavur. The NSL contractually paid for the travel costs, but were unwilling to cover the more expensive travel costs. This led to Tavur playing three consecutive away matches, to avoid back and forth travel costs. The season concluded on 1 June, with Hekari United claiming their seventh consecutive title, winning 3–0 against FC Port Moresby in the Grand Final.

The 2014 season initially had 12 interested teams, but by 21 October, only seven had completed the registration process, including new sides Admiralty FC and Lae FC. The previous season's finalists FC Port Moresby had not done so, and neither had last year's debutants WNB Tavur. Both ended up excluded from the competition, with FC Port Moresby eventually lodging an appeal. This led to another delay, with the start date being postponed three times before eventually starting on 8 February, after FC Port Moresby withdrew their case. In April 2014, Morobe FC's owner Tuguyawini Libe Parindali accused the National Soccer League of being too expensive, claiming that there was no incentive to keep competing in the division. This was in response to the NSL's decision to stop subsidising airfares, accommodation, food and transport for away games, something they had done since the inception of the league in 2006.