In a significant shift, the Football Association (FA) has decided to ban transgender women from competing in women’s football across England. This decision, which will come into effect on June 1, 2025, follows the Supreme Court’s ruling that defines “woman” under the Equality Act as referring exclusively to biological females. Consequently, other major sports bodies, such as England Netball and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), have started moving in the same direction, marking a profound transformation in the landscape of UK sport.
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Supreme Court Ruling Forces Sporting Bodies to Rethink Inclusion
After the Supreme Court ruled on April 16 that only biological females fall under the legal definition of “woman” in the Equality Act, sports federations across the UK sought legal counsel to ensure compliance.
The ECB confirmed that its leadership will address the issue on Friday, with one official telling The Guardian, “The legal advice is that we will have to follow a similar route.”
FA Reverses Course and Announces Policy Overhaul
Just a month ago, the FA permitted transgender women to play in the women’s category if they maintained testosterone levels under 5 nmol/L for at least a year. But after receiving legal advice from King’s Counsel, the FA reversed its position.
“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,” said the FA. “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.”
Netball and Cricket Adopt Comparable Measures
England Netball confirmed it would also enforce a ban starting September 1. To accommodate all players, it introduced a new mixed-gender category.
“The female category will be exclusively for players born female, irrespective of their gender identity, whilst mixed netball will serve as the sport’s inclusive category, allowing players to compete under the gender with which they identify,” the statement read. “This new policy is designed to prioritise and uphold fairness on court within the female category.”
The ECB, which currently allows transgender women to compete at the grassroots level, will meet later this week to adopt a new approach aligned with the recent legal developments.
Downing Street, Campaigners Applaud Decision
Downing Street welcomed the FA’s decision, with a government spokesperson stating: “We have been clear that biology matters when it comes to women’s sport, that everyone should be compliant with the law. And we will continue to ensure women and girls across the country can enjoy sports and we will continue to support bodies to protect the integrity, fairness and safety of the game.”
Advocacy group Sex Matters also praised the FA’s action. Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns, remarked: “This is welcome but long overdue. Every other sporting body now needs to re-establish a genuine women’s category. Anyone who cares about women and girls in sport will see that this is the right thing to do.”
SEEN in Sport, a group representing players and coaches advocating for policies based on biological sex, criticized the delay in reform. “It has been a failure of leadership for them to ignore the legitimate concerns of the people who care about the integrity of the women’s game,” it said.
LGBT+ Groups Express Disappointment
Nevertheless, LGBT+ charity Stonewall strongly denounced the decisions made by both the FA and the Scottish FA. According to the organization, “The FA and Scottish FA’s decision to ban trans women from women’s football has been made too soon, especially since the implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling have not yet been fully examined by lawyers and politicians, nor has it officially become law.”
Furthermore, the charity emphasized its disappointment, stating, “It is incredibly disappointing, particularly because the FA has been a long-term and vocal supporter of our Rainbow Laces campaign, which has consistently advocated for inclusion in sport across all ages and at every level of the game.”
FA Reaches Out to Affected Players
The FA emphasized empathy toward the transgender women currently participating in women’s football. “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,” it said. “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.”
FAQs
The FA banned transgender women after the Supreme Court ruled that the term “woman” in the Equality Act applies only to biological females.
The FA will implement its new policy banning transgender women from women’s football on June 1, 2025.
England Netball and the ECB also started revising their inclusion policies to align with the legal definition of biological sex.
The FA will guide transgender players toward inclusive formats and help them stay involved in the sport.
LGBT+ charity Stonewall criticized the decision, calling it premature and disappointing given the FA’s past support for inclusion.
