Dutch giants Feyenoord have confirmed the dismissal of head coach Robin van Persie, announcing that the club will enter the 2026/27 season under new leadership.
The decision was made public on Sunday through a brief statement posted on the club’s official X account, in which Feyenoord thanked Van Persie for his contributions during his time in charge.
“Feyenoord will start the 2026-2027 season with a new head coach. The club would like to thank Robin van Persie for everything he gave during his time as head coach,” the statement read.
Van Persie, who returned to his boyhood club as head coach in February 2025, leaves the role after a relatively short spell at the helm.
Despite his departure, the former Arsenal and Manchester United striker guided Feyenoord to a second-place finish in the Eredivisie and secured qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Explaining the decision, newly appointed Feyenoord technical director Devy Rigaux said the club carried out a detailed internal assessment before concluding that a change was necessary.
He noted that the evaluation considered the team’s style of play as well as a perceived decline in performance and points accumulation in both domestic and European competitions.
“We conducted a thorough internal analysis. In this, we took into account, among other things, the development of the style of play and the declining trend in terms of points total, both in Europe and in the Eredivisie,” Rigaux said.
He added that the club ultimately decided it was best to begin the new season with a different head coach in order to reset and improve long-term performance.
The decision marks a significant managerial shift for Feyenoord as the club prepares for another campaign in European football while seeking to maintain competitiveness in the Dutch league.
