The 1949 Chatham Cup was the 22nd annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.

The competition was run on a regional basis, with regional associations each holding separate qualifying rounds. Teams taking part in the final rounds are known to have included: Eden (Auckland), Hamilton Wanderers, Rotowaro Tigers (Waikato), Moturoa (New Plymouth), Ohakea (Manawatu), Petone Settlers, Waterside (Wellington), Wigram, Technical Old Boys, Nomads (Christchurch), Northern, Green Island (Dunedin), Stockton (West Coast) and Invercargill Thistle (Southland).

The 1949 final

The final was played in front of a then-record crowd of 12,000. Interest was high as the local Wellingtonian team was a lower ranked team (in the second division of Wellington football) who had gained a reputation as giant-killers. They went on to win the final 1-0 after having beaten several higher ranked sides in the course of the tournament, including a narrow win over Waterside and a heavy 7-1 thrashing of Wellington Marist. The final is memorable for the magic of the giant-killing performance, which caught the imagination of the local population. The only goal of the match came in the second half, when Northern keeper Jim Stephenson parried a David McKissock shot directly into the path of Petone forward Wally Hewitt who duly scored. Petone survived a late scare when keeper Ben Savage was required to save a penalty, and the Settlers of Petone held on to win by the solitary goal.

Results

Northern AFC6 - 0Mosgiel AFC
Berry 3, Ives, I. Walsh 2
Green Island FC3 - 1Roslyn-Wakari AFC
J. Quartermain 3P. Robinson
Northern AFC8 - 0Green Island FC
H. Jenkins 3, Berry 3, I. Walsh 2
Nomads3 - 2Shamrock
E. Kenny 2, R. CullenA. Hilton, W. McFarland
Petone Settlers3 - 1Institute Old Boys
Waterside5 - 1Seatoun AFC
Moturoa AFC1 - 6Ohakea
J. CollingsKelly 3, Speakman 2, Regan
Petone Settlers1 - 1Waterside
Christchurch Technical Old Boys5 - 4Nomads
J. McLennan 3, C. Bailey, M. DeanR. Cullen 2, P. Fox, E. Kenny
Christchurch Technical Old Boys4 - 0Wigram
K. Lucas, J. McLennan 3

North Island Semi-Finals

Petone Settlers2 - 0Ohakea
Eden3 - 2Rotowaro Tigers

South Island Semi-Finals

Christchurch Technical Old Boys14 - 0Stockton
P. O'Malley 5, C. Bailey 4, K. Lucas 3, J. McLennan 2
Invercargill Thistle0 - 9Northern AFC
Eden2 - 2Petone Settlers
Brewer 2Gale, Jakens

Match abandoned after 2 hours and 10 minutes of play due to bad light.

Petone Settlers4 - 0Eden
Northern AFC3 - 2Christchurch Technical Old Boys
W. Berry, I, Walsh, M. Ives (pen.)V. Smith, C. Bailey
Petone Settlers1 - 0Northern AFC
Hewitt