diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/77397-remove-network_group_modules.yml b/changelogs/fragments/77397-remove-network_group_modules.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9f4a66e5987
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/77397-remove-network_group_modules.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+removed_features:
+  - Remove deprecated ``NETWORK_GROUP_MODULES`` environment variable (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/77397)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
index d7d14f0fb00..451e429becf 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
+++ b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
@@ -1704,11 +1704,6 @@ NETWORK_GROUP_MODULES:
   default: [eos, nxos, ios, iosxr, junos, enos, ce, vyos, sros, dellos9, dellos10, dellos6, asa, aruba, aireos, bigip, ironware, onyx, netconf, exos, voss, slxos]
   description: 'TODO: write it'
   env:
-  - name: NETWORK_GROUP_MODULES
-    deprecated:
-      why: environment variables without ``ANSIBLE_`` prefix are deprecated
-      version: "2.12"
-      alternatives: the ``ANSIBLE_NETWORK_GROUP_MODULES`` environment variable
   - name: ANSIBLE_NETWORK_GROUP_MODULES
   ini:
   - {key: network_group_modules, section: defaults}