FA confirms ban on transgender women from women's football

Updated: 02 May, 2025 • 0 • min read

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FA confirms ban on transgender women from women's football

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The Football Association (FA) has announced that transgender women will no longer be permitted to play in women's football across all levels in England from 1 June 2025, citing recent legal changes and evolving policy guidance.

Landmark Rule Change Follows Supreme Court Ruling on Legal Definition of 'Woman'

This significant policy shift comes in the wake of an April 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling, which stated that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.

The FA's decision ends the previous case-by-case system, where transgender women were allowed to play in the women's game if they met certain testosterone thresholds.

FA Statement: "Difficult but Necessary Change"

In an official statement, the FA said:

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.

The FA added that they will work directly with the roughly 20 transgender women currently playing at grassroots level to support them in finding ways to remain involved in football.

No Transgender Women in England's Professional Game

There are no known transgender women currently playing in professional women's football in England or Scotland.

The policy largely affects community and amateur players, although it sets a precedent likely to be followed by other sports and federations.

Scottish FA and Other Sports Already Enforcing Similar Bans

Earlier this week, the Scottish FA introduced an identical policy, restricting women's football participation to those female at birth from the age of 13 and above.

Similar bans have already been enacted in athletics, rugby, swimming, and cricket, based on concerns over fairness and safety.

What's Next for Transgender Players?

Whilst they will no longer be eligible for the women's game, transgender women can continue playing in mixed or men's categories.

The FA says it remains committed to inclusivity and is considering ways to expand opportunities in coaching, refereeing, and administration.

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