Transgender women will be banned from playing women’s football across all levels of the English game from June 1, the Football Association (FA) has ruled.
The UK Supreme Court ruled on April 16 that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, which prompted English football’s governing body to review its policy.
Currently, trans women are allowed to compete in the women’s game. That will end on June 1, 2025.
The FA had said in April, before the Supreme Court ruling, that trans women would be allowed to continue playing should they exhibit low levels of testosterone for 12 months, as well as provide a medical record of hormone therapy and an annual review of treatment.
According to BBC Sport, no transgender women are currently playing professional football in England, but that figure does not include those involved in grassroots football.
A statement read: “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.
“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 April 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.
“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.”
In November 2024, a protest over the FA’s transgender inclusion policy took place outside Wembley before England’s men played the Republic of Ireland.
