Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince has spoken out in defense of the club’s controversial decision to disband its women’s team for the 2026-27 season. The announcement, made on Tuesday, confirmed that Forest Green Rovers will not field a women’s team next season as the club prioritizes strengthening its position and aiming for promotion back to the English Football League (EFL) with the men’s side.
In addition, the club has ended its partnership with Hartpury University, whose elite training center provided football opportunities for girls aged nine to 16. This move has sparked widespread criticism from fans and football communities alike.
However, Vince argues the backlash is unjust, highlighting the substantial financial burden the women’s team imposed. Last season, the team finished second in the South West Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division, narrowly missing promotion by a single point. Despite their success, Vince explained that running the team would now cost the club six figures annually.
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Since the men’s team’s relegation to the National League in 2024, Forest Green has faced a £1.5 million revenue shortfall each season, compounded by the imminent end of parachute payments next year. Vince revealed that the club had engaged in discussions with Hartpury University about forming a joint women’s team. Unfortunately, Hartpury altered their position “late in the day,” leaving Forest Green unable to bear the financial responsibilities alone.
Hartpury University expressed pride in its collaboration with Forest Green and emphasized its commitment to continuing the emerging talent center for girls through their own Hartpury Women FC, despite the changes.
In a detailed statement, Vince said:
“This will be our third season in the National League, exposing us to the full £1.5 million loss of income, previously softened by parachute payments. Recognizing this early, we have reviewed all spending and focused on regaining our EFL status—it’s the logical strategy. We have already reduced funding to the boys' football program without facing similar criticism.
We initially believed partnering with Hartpury could allow us to maintain the women’s and girls’ programs, but their last-minute decision left us unable to meet the six-figure costs independently. Therefore, this difficult choice was unavoidable.
Forest Green Rovers has supported women’s football for over a decade, and the recent criticism is misplaced and unfair. Economic realities have necessitated cuts across multiple areas, including boys' programs. The discontinuation of the women’s team comes as a final step following a last-minute partnership change, not due to lack of commitment.
Our priority remains to return to the EFL, after which we intend to restore funding for boys’, girls’, and women’s football fully. This is our plan—to rebuild not only our league status but also our comprehensive football programs, including women’s and girls’ teams.”