Cambridge United are pleased to announce that Cambridge United Women will play their home fixtures at Cambridge University’s historic Grange Road Stadium from the start of the 2026/27 season…
The move represents a major milestone in the long-term development of women’s football in the city and will see the team return to Cambridge for the first time in several decades.
Since the club assumed operational responsibility for the team in 2022, establishing a permanent home within the city has been the main strategic priority to allow the club to build a strong local supporter base and create a sustainable platform for future growth.
Founded in 1896, Grange Road Stadium is jointly owned by Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (established 1871) and Cambridge University Association Football Club (established 1856). The stadium has been home to two of the country’s most historic sporting institutions, both of which have played critical roles in the national and international development of their respective sports.
In 2025, the venue entered a multi-million-pound improvement programme. The first phase completed last autumn with a new state-of-the-art artificial pitch and there is the long term ambition to provide enhanced spectator facilities, improved player infrastructure, and expanded community-use spaces.
Gisela Otten, Chair of the Women’s Board, said, “This is a landmark moment for Cambridge United Women and for women’s football in the city. Bringing the team back to Cambridge has been a long-term strategic ambition for us and we firmly believe this move can unlock enormous potential over the coming years - not only in terms of matchday attendances, but also new sponsorship, community engagement and the continued development of the women’s game across the region.
“Our thanks go to Cambridge University and both CUAFC and CURFC for helping enable this exciting step. The forward thinking and open way they have helped create this opportunity for us is a great example of the positive civic engagement of Cambridge University in action. I also want to put on record our thanks to St Neots Town FC who have given the first team a home over recent years and enabled a key development phase of the club.
“We are also very grateful to our owners Paul and Mark for their support in helping make it happen. They are passionate about driving CUWFC forward as part of our wider ambition at Cambridge United to widen opportunity and do even more for Cambridge as one of its biggest civic institutions.”
Mark Brian, Director of Sport at Cambridge University and Board Member at CUWFC added, “We are entering a new era for sport at the University, and this partnership is an excellent example of how our facilities can contribute to wider sporting development and civic engagement across the city. We look forward to welcoming CUWFC to Grange Road from the start of next season and working closely with them to support the continued growth of the women’s game.”
President of Cambridge University Association Football Club, David Cardwell, said, “Cambridge is the birthplace of modern football and this is a symbolic and important moment with both its professional club and its oldest club uniting to help drive forward the women’s game in the city.
“The University is committed to playing an ever more active role in the life of the city and we want to play our part in inspiring and engaging a new generation of female footballers."
Cameron Holloway, Leader of Cambridge City Council, added, “I am delighted that Cambridge United Women’s team will be playing in the city from the start of next season. Football is in the DNA of Cambridge, with the rules of the game first codified on Parker’s Piece in 1848, and Cambridge United is one of our key civic institutions.
“This partnership is a fantastic example of Cambridge University putting into practice its desire to do more for the civic life of Cambridge, and of the city’s ambition to extend sporting opportunity more widely. I hope that this move can help to inspire new generations of young girls to take up the game in years to come.”
Daniel Zeichner, Member of Parliament for Cambridge added, "Women’s football is on a massive growth curve on and off the pitch. It has been great to see the progress that Cambridge United have made over the last few years and this is now a fantastic opportunity to grow the women’s game in the heart of the city.
"Congratulations to both the club and University for making this strategic partnership happen. It is a fantastic illustration of civic vision and co-operation. I look forward to coming to a game at Grange Road next season."
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