[4] Over the course of the season, each team must also ensure players aged 20 or under account for 10% of available playing minutes.
[8][9][10] The week the Northern League started, NRF announced changes to the competition structure for the 2024 season to accommodate Auckland FC.
[11] Auckland FC will have a reserves team playing in the qualifying and championship phases from next season to fulfil their A-League Men requirements.
[3] To allow space for Auckland FC, the Northern League will now have a relegation play-off between the 10th place team and the runners up of the 2024 NRFL Championship for this season only.
[15] It is both Tauranga City's and East Coast Bay's first season in the National League.
They replaced Green Island (relegated after three season in the Southern League).