New policies to take effect in England from June and in Scotland from 2025/26 season
LONDON — Transgender women will no longer be permitted to participate in women’s football in England and Scotland, following a significant shift in policy announced by the Football Association (FA) and the Scottish Football Association (SFA).
The English FA confirmed on Thursday that the new regulations will come into force on June 1, 2025, impacting all levels of the women’s game, from grassroots to professional. The SFA will implement a similar ban starting with the 2025/26 season.
This decision comes in response to a recent UK Supreme Court ruling, which determined that the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act pertains strictly to biological sex at birth — a verdict that excludes transgender women, even those with gender recognition certificates.
The FA had previously allowed transgender women to play in the women’s category, subject to reduced testosterone levels and case-by-case assessments. However, the updated policy now explicitly restricts participation to those identified female at birth.
“We understand this change will be difficult for individuals who want to play the sport they love in the gender with which they identify,” the FA said in a statement. “We are reaching out to registered transgender women currently involved in the game to discuss the changes and how they can remain engaged in football.”
The SFA echoed similar sentiments, stating: “As a gender-affected sport, the Scottish FA board has determined that from the start of the 2025/26 season, only biological females will be permitted to play in competitive girls’ and women’s football.”
Supporters of the decision, such as Fiona McAnena from the advocacy group Sex Matters, argue the move prioritizes fairness and safety for female athletes. “The law was always clear that male participants could be excluded to ensure fair and safe sport for women and girls,” she told the Press Association.
The issue of transgender participation in sport has drawn growing scrutiny worldwide. Various international sports bodies — including those overseeing swimming, cycling, and athletics — have tightened rules, effectively barring transgender athletes from female categories. World Athletics recently introduced cheek swab testing to verify biological sex in its efforts to protect the integrity of women’s competition.
Former Olympian and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, a prominent voice on the matter, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of safeguarding the female category in sport.
In the United States, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order aiming to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, underscoring the global nature of the debate around inclusion and competitive fairness.
As sports organizations continue to grapple with this evolving issue, the FA and SFA’s decisions mark a decisive shift in UK football’s approach to gender participation.
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