Waikato Bay of Plenty football region's flagship men's' leagues – the Loaded WaiBOP Premiership and WaiBOP Championship – both kick off in under a fortnight.

Opening day will see some tasty early fixtures, with 2015 champions Cambridge visiting newly promoted and former competition winners Taupo, alongside Hamilton and Western Bay derbies.

Three places became available in the Loaded WaiBOP Premiership due to Ngongotaha's promotion to the Northern Region Football League, Tauranga City United's relegation and Katikati, who received a reprieve from relegation, unable to field a side in the Federation competition.

That gave Te Awamutu, who finished third in the championship, an opening to join the top two from 2016 – champions West Hamilton and Taupo.

'This gives us a spread of clubs from across the region and what looks like being an incredibly competitive Loaded WaiBOP Premiership,” says competitions manager Karyn Walters.

'It was a bit of an exercise getting to the point where we could confidently publish the draws for both leagues, but with the support of the clubs, we managed it”

Karyn says the alterations to the premiership caused havoc with the production of the WaiBOP Championship draw, and in the end, the championship contains eight premiership reserve teams, alongside Tauranga City United, Tokoroa, Hamilton Wanderers and Te Puke United.

But despite a successful inaugural season in 2016, the WaiBOP Women's Premier League appears unlikely to go ahead this year, due to several recent withdrawals leaving only five confirmed sides.

Karyn says there may be options to bring the numbers up to a still less than ideal six teams.

'But if we can get that across the line we'll press ahead with a three round competition. It would be a real shame to see this league go into hibernation after a successful 2016.”

The opening weekend also sees the introduction of the new Federation Under-12 Junior League, featuring ten teams from across the region, including several clubs new to Federation-wide competition.

The new league is aligned with the New Zealand Football Skill Centre + programme, where training focuses on developing player skill acquisition around the four moments of the game.

The new league replaces the previous U12 Boys Skill Centre programme and provides more players with a higher quality football experience.

Each of the clubs accepted were asked to meet a specific criteria, aligned to New Zealand Football's Skill Centre programme, to be eligible to enter a team in the competition.

'They are very excited at the prospect of a new premier league for this age group,” says WaiBOP's football development manager Ken Cresswell.

'It is our expectation that the standard of the competition will challenge the players, coaches and clubs as well as enhance their opportunities for further development.”

Further Federation-wide youth leagues, for U14 and U16 boys and U16 girls, will kick-off at the start of Term 2.

OPENING WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday, April 1 - Loaded WaiBOP Premiership:

• Taupo v Cambridge, Crown Park, 2.45pm
• Papamoa v Otumoetai FC, Gordon Spratt Park, 2.45pm
• Waikato Unicol v Melville United, Waikato University, 2.45pm
• Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts v Tauranga Boys College, Matamata Domain, 2.45pm
• Rotorua United v West Hamilton United, Neil Hunt Park, 2.45pm
• Edmonds Judd Te Awamutu v Tauranga Old Blues, TA Stadium, 2.45pm

Saturday, April 1 - WaiBOP Championship

• Richardson Racing Stables Matamata Reserves v Tauranga City United, Matamata Domain, 12.30pm
• Rotorua United Reserves v Te Puke, Neil Hunt Park, 12.30pm
• Edmonds Judd Te Awamutu Reserves v Tauranga Old Blues Reserves, TA Stadium, 12.30pm
• Waikato Unicol v Tokoroa, Waikato University, 12.30pm
• Taupo Reserves v Cambridge Reserves, Crown Park, 2.30pm
• Hamilton Wanderers v Otumoetai FC Reserves, Porritt Stadium, 2.45pm

Sunday, April 2 - Federation Junior U-12 League

• Cambridge v Blue Rovers, John Kerkhof Park, 10am
• Rotorua United v Northern United, Puarenga Park, 10am
• Mt Maunganui v Papamoa, Blake Park, 11am
• Claudelands Rovers v Taupo, Galloway Park, 11am
• Hamilton Wanderers v First National Tauranga Otumoetai FC, Raymond Park, 11am

For more information, visit www.waibopfootball.co.nz