Reading FC women's team withdraws from Championship

Reading have withdrawn from the Barclays Women's Championship for the 2024-25 season due to financial issues and will drop into the fifth tier.

The club confirmed to the Football Association and the Women's Professional Game they would not be able to meet the ongoing compliance requirements needed to continue in the higher division.

Reading will compete in the Southern Region Football League Premier Division next term after an application to re-enter the pyramid was accepted.

The Championship will operate with 11 clubs during the upcoming season and only have one relegation place.

"Reading Football Club can today confirm it has reluctantly withdrawn from the Barclays Women's Championship for the 2024-25 season, with the women's first team now moving to tier five of the women's football pyramid," read a club statement.

"The club understand the demotion to tier five will come as a huge disappointment for all connected with the club. This solution, however, does provide the club with the opportunity to continue to operate a women's football department.

"Whilst the club recognises and encourages the huge rise in popularity and commercialisation of the women's game, it unfortunately does not have guarantees of the required finances to increase investment in to Reading FC Women."

In January, an English Football League statement said Reading owner Dai Yongge "is no longer in a position - or does not have the motivation - to support the club financially".

The Chinese businessman was urged "either to fund the club adequately or to make immediate arrangements to sell his majority share".

A takeover has yet to materialise, while a last-gasp attempt by a consortium to save the women's sector, which at one point included current England