The Football Association of England has declared that, starting June 1, transgender women will not be permitted to play women’s football.
The decision follows a ruling by the UK Supreme Court on April 16, which held that, under equalities law, a woman is defined by biological sex. The association cited this as a key factor in updating its policy.
The English FA stated in a statement on Thursday that while it is still dedicated to making football accessible, it must comply with the most recent legal definitions and guarantee equity in the women’s division.
“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 statement reads.
It was further clarified that the current policy, which permitted transgender women to play women’s game, was founded on the inclusiveness concept and backed by professional legal counsel.
The FA disclosed that a review of its policy was inevitable in the event of any changes to relevant laws or regulations.
“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 April 16 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 June 1, 2025”.
According to the statement, the FA acknowledged that the decision may be difficult for those affected.
“We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender with which they identify.
“We are reaching out to the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and discuss how they can continue to remain involved in the game,” the FA said.
Recall that the Scottish FA board has decided that starting from next season, only biological females will be permitted to compete in girls’ and women’s football under its jurisdiction.
This verdict comes after the UK Supreme Court ruled that, in accordance with equalities law, a woman is defined by her biological sex. In Scotland, women’s football is only open to players who were assigned female at birth and must be at least 13 years old and above.
