Forest Green Rovers have disbanded their women’s team ahead of the 2026-27 season, citing the need to “concentrate resources” on returning the men’s side to the English Football League.
The Gloucestershire club announced the decision on Tuesday in a statement confirming the immediate closure of the women’s programme. Officials explained that prioritising the men’s National League promotion push was essential after their relegation from League Two in 2024.
Men’s team priority
Under former Wales international Robbie Savage, the men’s team finished seventh last term but saw their promotion bid end with a playoff defeat to Boreham Wood. Securing an immediate return to the EFL remains the primary objective for the coming campaign, requiring what the club described as a full concentration of resources and efforts on strengthening the squad.
Women’s campaign ends
Despite their own strong performance, the women’s team will not continue. They placed second in their regional fifth-tier division last season, losing only one league match throughout the campaign. They missed out on elevation to the fourth tier by a single point behind champions Torquay.
The closure follows the breakdown of discussions with Hartpury University regarding a potential partnership. The university ultimately made a decision that ruled out the possibility of a joint women’s team. The club also confirmed they will withdraw from a joint elite training centre for girls aged nine to 16, which operated alongside the institution, though they pledged continued support for Hartpury Women FC as the university explores independent pathways.
Future hopes
In their statement, Forest Green said: “This isn’t goodbye to women’s football at Forest Green. We’d like to return to it in the future, when the time is right and when we can build a programme that is sustainable and successful for the long term.” They described their partnership with Hartpury as “worthwhile and valued” and thanked players, staff and volunteers for their contributions.
The Football Association had confirmed the women’s team’s placement in tier five for the upcoming season approximately four weeks prior to the announcement.