The Wessex Football League is an English regional men's football league in southern England. Its members are primarily from Hampshire and Dorset, but clubs from adjoining counties such as Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey, and the Isle of Wight are also eligible. The Premier Division is one of the sixteen recognised leagues to form the ninth level of the English football league system (known as Step 5 of the National League System), and Division One is one of seventeen recognised leagues at level 10 (Step 6).
Champions of the Wessex League who meet the relevant ground and financial requirements are eligible for promotion to the Southern League Division One South or Isthmian League Division One South Central.
History In the summer of 1986, the formation of a Wessex League was discussed. It was proposed to draw clubs from the Hampshire, Dorset, Berks and Bucks, Sussex and Wiltshire FAs. After long discussions the full Football Association approved the league, with the 1986-87 season featuring 17 teams in the league.
Bashley were first champions of the new league, with Brockenhurst finishing last. The 1987–88 season saw the number of teams increase from 17 to 19. Four teams joined the league, but two of the founding teams, Road-Sea Southampton and Portals Athletic, left in unfortunate circumstances.
In its third year of existence, the league was gaining in prestige and this was reflected by the fact that 17 of the 19 clubs remained in the league. 1990–91 saw the league reach previously untouched heights as 20 clubs participated.
In 2004, it absorbed most of the clubs from its feeder league, the Hampshire League, which formed a new Division Two and Division Three. In 2006 the divisions were renamed as the Premier Division and Divisions One and Two. At the end of the 2006–07 season, Division Two was disbanded, and most of the clubs formed a new Hampshire Premier League.
Current members Premier Division
ClubHome groundAndover New StreetThe DH Property Services StadiumBaffins Milton RoversPMC StadiumBashleyVeho Community StadiumBemerton Heath HarlequinsA-Class ArenaBournemouthVictoria ParkBrockenhurstMeadens Skoda ArenaChristchurchHurn BridgeCowes SportsWestwood ParkDowntonBrian Whitehead Sports GroundEast Cowes Victoria AthleticBeatrice AvenueFareham TownCams AldersFleetlandsPowder Monkey ParkHamble ClubHamble Community FacilityHamworthy RecreationThe BJM StadiumHorndeanFive Heads ParkHythe & DibdenHythe Garage StadiumLaverstock & FordChurch RoadMillbrookTest ParkPetersfield TownThe SmartSpaces StadiumSherborne TownThe GMS Windows ArenaSturminster Newton UnitedBarnett's Field
Division One ClubHome groundAFC AldermastonWaterside ParkAlresford TownAlrebury ParkAmesbury TownBonnymead ParkAsh UnitedShawfield StadiumBlandford United The Recreation GroundColden CommonThe Charters Community StadiumCoveOak FarmFawleyWaterside Sports & Social ClubFolland SportsThe Arrow ArenaFrimley GreenThe KBO StadiumHamworthy UnitedThe County GroundHedge End RangersMortgage Decisions StadiumKintbury RangersThe Recreation GroundLymington TownThe Sports GroundNew Milton TownThe M.A Hart StadiumNewport (IOW)Beatrice AvenueRingwood TownLong LaneRomsey TownAEC Protection GroundSandhurst TownSandhurst Memorial ParkTotton & ElingMiller ParkWhitchurch UnitedLongmeadow
Past winners Season Champions 1986–87 Bashley 1987–88 Bashley 1988–89 Bashley 1989–90 Romsey Town 1990–91 Havant Town 1991–92 Wimborne Town 1992–93 AFC Lymington 1993–94 Wimborne Town 1994–95 Fleet Town 1995–96 Thatcham Town 1996–97 AFC Lymington 1997–98 AFC Lymington 1998–99 Lymington & New Milton 1999–2000 Wimborne Town 2000–01 Andover 2001–02 Andover 2002–03 Eastleigh 2003–04 Winchester City
In 2004, the league expanded to three divisions.
Season Division One Division Two Division Three 2004–05 Lymington & New Milton Lymington Town Colden Common 2005–06 Winchester City Locks Heath Paulsgrove
In 2006, the divisions were renumbered, with the top division being renamed the Premier Division.
Season Premier Division Division One Division Two 2006–07 Gosport Borough Hayling United Fleetlands
After the 2006-07 season, Division Two was discontinued.
Season Premier Division Division One 2007–08 A.F.C. Totton Tadley Calleva 2008–09 Poole Town Totton & Eling 2009–10 Poole Town Hamble A.S.S.C. 2010–11 Poole Town Downton 2011–12 Winchester City Verwood Town 2012–13 Blackfield & Langley Brockenhurst 2013–14 Sholing Petersfield Town 2014–15 Petersfield Town Team Solent 2015–16 Salisbury Portland United 2016–17 Portland United Hamble Club 2017–18 Blackfield & Langley Christchurch 2018–19 Sholing AFC Stoneham 2019–20 Season abandoned (coronavirus pandemic) 2020–21 Season abandoned (lockdown restrictions) 2021–22 Hamworthy United Bemerton Heath Harlequins 2022–23 Horndean Andover New Street 2023–24 Moneyfields Hamworthy Recreation 2024–25 AFC Portchester New Milton Town 2025–26 AFC Stoneham Fleetlands
Wessex League Cup The Wessex League Cup, or Velocity Wessex League Cup for sponsor purposes, is a domestic cup which all the Wessex League teams participate in.
Wessex League Cup winners Source:
1986–87: Road Sea Southampton 1987–88: East Cowes Victoria Athletic 1988–89: A.F.C. Lymington 1989–90: A.F.C. Totton 1990–91: Thatcham Town 1991–92: Thatcham Town 1992–93: Gosport Borough 1993–94: Wimborne Town 1994–95: Thatcham Town 1995–96: Downton 1996–97: Thatcham Town 1997–98: Aerostructures Sports & Social 1998–99: Cowes Sports 1999–2000: Wimborne Town 2000–01: (no competition held) 2001–02: Andover 2002–03: A.F.C. Totton 2003–04: Winchester City 2004–05: Hamworthy United 2005–06: A.F.C. Totton 2006–07: Lymington Town 2007–08: Wimborne Town 2008–09: VT 2009–10: Bemerton Heath Harlequins 2010–11: Bournemouth 2011–12: Christchurch 2012–13: Alresford Town 2013–14: Alresford Town 2014–15: A.F.C. Portchester 2015–16: Team Solent 2016–17: Sholing 2017–18: A.F.C. Portchester 2018–19: Baffins Milton Rovers 2019–20: (not awarded) 2020–21: Hamworthy United 2021–22: Shaftesbury 2022–23: Baffins Milton Rovers 2023–24: Hamble Club 2024–25: A.F.C. Portchester 2025–26: Hamble Club
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