English FA to bar transgender women from women's football starting next season
Transgender women will not be allowed to play in women’s football in England.
According to the English FA, transgender players will not be allowed to play women’s football beginning on June 1, 2025 (2025-26 season).
Following a contentious historic decision by Britain’s highest court that only biological women, not trans women, qualify as women under equality rules, the action was taken. While trans supporters expressed worry, the government welcomed it as a source of clarity. Thus, the English Football Association came to the conclusion to prohibit transgender to participating in the competition.
Earlier this week, the Scottish FA also made the decision to prevent transgender players from playing women’s football.
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In a statement released on Thursday, the English FA stated:
“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.”
Before the English FA, the Scottish FA announced last month that transgender women will not be allowed to play women’s football. Beginning with the upcoming season, transgender women will not be permitted to play women’s football in Scotland.
After a UK Supreme Court judgment earlier this month, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) is said to have made a definitive decision to amend its policy.
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