Great Players. Better People.

He Kaitākaro Tika. He Iwi Ora.

LAKES FOOTBALL CLUB 2026 GIRLS’ & WOMEN’S PROGRAMME

2026 offers a bigger, brighter pathway for every player!

Lakes Football Club is excited to announce a significant expansion of our Girls’ and Women’s Programme for 2026. As our club continues to grow, we’re proud to offer more opportunities than ever for girls and women to develop, compete and belong.

After an incredibly successful 2025 season across our senior women’s squads and youth pathway, we are now ready to build on that momentum. The 2026 programme strengthens our pathway from junior football right through to senior women’s competition — ensuring every player has a place to grow and thrive.

2026 PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Senior Teams

• W-League

• Bay Women

Strengthened Youth Pathway

• U19 Performance Team

• U19 Development Team/s

• U15s — multiple teams, including an U15 Development Programme (new age group, 11-aside)

New Junior Structure

Our junior teams will align with the new 2026 national junior framework, ensuring a consistent, development-focused environment.

• U13s, including an U13 Development Programme (9-aside)

• U11s (7-aside)

• U9s (5-aside)

MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TOURNAMENTS AND DEVELOPMENT

Our commitment to player development has created strong depth across our youth programme — and in 2026, opportunities will grow again.

We are aiming to include key U17 national tournaments in our already strong offering of competitive and development events, supporting the pathway toward our pinnacle U19 national tournament team.

STAY CONNECTED

More details on competitions and scheduling will be shared soon.

Trials/musters will begin early 2026:

• Senior Women – late January

• U19s & U15s – February

• U13s – March

If you’re new to the area, new to football or new to Lakes FC, we’d love to welcome you.

Join our girls’ and women’s mailing list:

Register HERE

We can’t wait for another exciting and successful season ahead. If you have questions, please get in touch.

Senior Women’s enquiries: seniorwomen@lakesfc.co.nz

Youth & Junior enquiries: lakesfcgirls@gmail.com

Nga mihi,

The Lakes FC Girls' and Women's Team

Junior Girl's Football

GRADE INFORMATION AND COMPETITION FORMATS

5th & 6th GRADE GIRLS

(Born 2019 & 2020)

Game locations - Puarenga Park, Rotorua

We will aim to have a girls team in each of these grades. The girls teams at this age play in the local mixed competition as there is no dedicated girls competition. When girls and girls teams are playing in a mixed competition they can choose to play at their age or down one grade ensuring each player finds the right challenge point.  


U8 GIRLS - (Born 2017/18) 5v5

U10 GIRLS - (Born 2015/2016) 7v7

Game locations - Puarenga Park, Rotorua

2025 sees the introduction of BRAND NEW all girls U8s and U10s competition right here in Rotorua. This is exciting news for the girls in Rotorua. The introduction of a dedicated all-girls competition is a significant step for our region, providing more opportunities for our young female players. The grades are played as dual age bands i.e 7th/8th grade combined and 9th/10th grade combined.

To ensure the competition is sustainable long term, we need your help. We want to maximise the number of teams and players, creating a strong, engaging competition. So start shoulder tapping your buddies now and get them involved. The “Friday Football Fun Roadshow” will be coming to a school near you in March and will be a fun way to introduce your friends to football.


G11 GIRLS

(Born 2014) 9v9

Game locations - Western BOP and Rotorua

After the success of the 2024 girls’ only Western BOP 11th grade competition this grade continues into 2025. The grade allows girls moving to the larger format game a chance to adapt in their own space. Home games are played locally at Puarenga Park and away games are played around the Western BOP.


G12 GIRLS

(Born 2013) 9v9

Game locations - Western BOP and Rotorua

Lakes FC will have multiple teams at this grade. The focus of 12th grade is player development. Players will play their regular season in ungraded teams, providing the best environment for girls to develop a wide range of skills and positional knowledge. Girls looking for a higher level of competition will have the opportunity to trial for the Lakes FC end of season development teams to play in the prestigious Weir Rose Bowl or McCartney Tournament.

The competition includes both home and away games played locally and around the Western BOP.  Transport is organised by car-pooling within the teams. 

If girls prefer to remain in mixed teams they will play in the local Puarenga Park competition.

 

Girls Youth and Women

U14 Girls 9v9

(Born 2011/2012)

Game locations - Western BOP and Rotorua

The U14 Girls’ competition is split into two divisions, the Kaimai League (1st division) and the Koru League (2nd division).   Both leagues play regular season games in Rotorua and the Western BOP, with the Kaimai League teams playing two additional cross over days against teams from the Waikato Kaimai League.

Lakes FC will select an U14s Academy team team to play in the Kaimai League and multiple U14s development teams playing in the Koru League.  The Academy team will also attend the Weir Rose Bowl Tournament in October.


Baywide Youth/U19 Girls 11v11

(Born 2006 - 2010)

Game locations - BOP and Rotorua

Baywide Youth caters for a wide range of ages covering girls born 2006 - 2010.  There are multiple divisions in the Baywide Youth competition and we are aiming for two teams to play in this competition.  Creating two teams provides a good challenge point for both our new players moving into this space and also our older more experienced players.

At the end of the season Lakes FC will select an U19s team to attend the National U19s Women's Tournament in Napier in October.

Playing for School and Club

Many girls play school football on Wednesday afternoon and club football on Saturdays. The coaches of all School First XI girls’ teams in Rotorua are associated with Lakes FC enabling us to manage the physical workload of our players through the season.  

Senior Women

Waibop W-League & Bay Women's 

Lakes FC will once again be fielding teams in both the Waibop W-League and Bay Women's Senior competitions.  

We look forward to welcoming you all back for our upcoming season. Whether you are a current club member moving into a new age or new to the area, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to talk about the options for you or your daughter. 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

For general information about girls' teams:
Email: lakesfcgirls@gmail.com

For information about the Lakes FC Girls' Academy teams:
Email: scott.downs@pfolsen.com

 

One Club. Full Pathway.