Transgender women footballers barred from playing in women’s game in UK

The decision comes on the back of Britain’s supreme court ruling that the term ‘women’ in the Equality Act refers only to a biological woman.

Two days ago, the Scottish football association ruled that the transgender women can’t play in the women’s game from next season. (File)

Transgender women will be barred from playing in women’s football in England from June 1, the English Football Association (FA) has announced. It comes on the back of the ruling from Britain’s supreme court that the term “woman” in the Equality Act refers only to a biological woman. This decision is likely to affect 20 registered transgender players in England, and the FA said it would reach out to them to explain the changes.

“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 FA said.

It’s a U-turn in terms of their policy as just a month ago FA had said that transgender women can play in the women’s game as long as they kept their testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L for at least 12 months. But the recent advisory from the court has forced a change. Two days ago, the Scottish football association ruled that the transgender women can’t play in the women’s game from next season.

Story continues below this ad

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 said. “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.”

Britain’s highest court ruled unanimously that the definition of a woman in equality legislation refers to “a biological woman and biological sex,” sparking celebrations outside court among gender-critical campaigners but warnings it was a “worrying” development for transgender people.