The New Zealand Football Championship will still have eight teams next season but there'll be two rounds instead of three.
And instead of a top three play off there'll be a top four home-and-away semi-final system followed by a Grand Final, with the season still likely to start on November 8 and finish on April 4,.
New Zealand Football's chief executive says the new format and the goodwill of franchises ensures the league will be to get through the the sudden downturn in funding without having to drop teams.
Michael Glading says they're very grateful the Southern Trust has re-signed as the league's principal supporter.
Franchises had until midnight on Wednesday to confirm participation and submit views
on options and the NZF board ratified the new format yesterday.
