Overview
- Fortaleza officially announced it will not field its professional women’s team in 2026, halting a project that had earned promotion to Brasileirão A1.
- The club attributed the decision to restricted finances tied to the men’s drop to Série B, citing reduced TV money, prizes and overall revenues.
- Media reports differ on the CBF penalty for withdrawing from A1, with accounts ranging from a one-year to a two-year suspension, and one outlet noting a return starting in Série A3.
- Under current CBF rules, maintaining a professional women’s side is mandated for Série A men’s clubs, a requirement that does not apply in Série B.
- The women’s team capped 2025 with the Ceará state title and the inaugural Copa Maria Bonita, and the club says it exhausted alternatives before ending the project.