Soccer is a popular but predominantly amateur sport in the Northern Territory. The sport is governed by Football Northern Territory, which is a regional affiliate of Football Australia, the national governing body for the sport.
While Australia's national soccer competitions (the A-Leagues: the A-League Men, the A-League Youth and the A-League Women) do not practice promotion and relegation, most state and territory leagues do. However, the Northern Territory does not practice promotion and relegation. Instead, Football Northern Territory organises three semi-professional leagues in one zone each.
Football Northern Territory defines three zones, each with a semi-professional league.[1]
| Zone | League | Major settlements | Regions | Major venues | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Zone | Central Zone Premier League | Borroloola, Katherine, Nhulunbuy | Barkly, Katherine | Katherine Sports Ground | |
| Northern Zone | NorZone Premier League | Darwin, Palmerston | Top End (Arnhem Land, Darwin), Tiwi Islands | ||
| Southern Zone | Southern Zone Premier League | Alice Springs, Tennant Creek | Alice Springs |