Transgender women banned from women’s football in England

The Football Association (FA) has announced that transgender women will no longer be permitted to play in women’s football in England from 1 June.

On April 11, the FA amended its eligibility rules to introduce stricter criteria for transgender women wishing to participate in women’s football across all levels.

However, following a UK Supreme Court ruling on April 15 that defined the legal status of a woman based on biological sex, the FA has reversed its previous decision.

The updated policy now stipulates that only individuals born biologically female will be eligible to play in women’s football.

“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 FA said.

“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) is expected to implement a ban on transgender women participating in women’s football, aligning with a recent decision by the English FA.

Last month, the English FA revealed that 20 transgender women were registered among millions of amateur players across the country.

However, there are currently no registered transgender women in the professional game across any of the Home Nations.

In response to the ongoing debate, anti-discrimination group Kick It Out stated last week that the Supreme Court’s ruling on the matter would have “far-reaching consequences.”

The organisation urged the football community to “treat one another with respect and compassion.”