Transgender women will be banned from playing women’s football in England from next season, the Football Association has said.
The FA said the move follows the UK Supreme Court’s ruling two weeks ago that a “woman” is defined by biological sex. The change applies to all levels of the game and will be implemented from 1 June.
The FA had updated their transgender inclusion policy prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling, allowing transgender women to play in women’s football if they reduced their testosterone levels, but the body have now issued an outright ban.
In updating their policy last month, the FA said there were around 20 transgender women registered in amateur women’s football teams in England. There are no transgender women playing professionally in England.
The FA said in a statement: “We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify, and we are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game.”
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) updated its gender policy earlier this week to similarly ban transgender women from playing women’s football in Scotland.
Transgender women had previously been banned from competing in the female categories of rugby union, athletics, swimming, cycling and triathlon in England.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) banned transgender women from playing at the elite levels least year, with the ECB currently reviewing its policy at the grassroots levels following the Supreme Court ruling.
And on Monday the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association said it would review its transgender inclusion policy, after the transgender women were banned from pool events in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict.
“As the governing body of the national sport, our role is to make football accessible to as many people as possible, operating within the law and international football policy defined by Uefa and Fifa,” the FA added.
“Our current policy, which allows transgender women to participate in the women’s game, was based on this principle and supported by expert legal advice.
“This is a complex subject, and our position has always been that if there was a material change in law, science, or the operation of the policy in grassroots football then we would review it and change it if necessary.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling on the 16 Apnil means that we will be changing our policy. Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s football in England, and this policy will be implemented from 1 June 2025.”
Downing Street stressed that “biology matters” in sport and said the decision is one for the FA. Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said: “It’s a decision for the FA, but we have been clear that biology matters when it comes to women’s sport, that everyone should be compliant with law, and we will continue to work to ensure women and girls across the country can enjoy sports, and we will continue to support bodies to protect the integrity, fairness and safety of the game.”
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