Transgender women will no longer be allowed to compete in women’s soccer in England starting June 1, as announced by the English Football Association (FA).
In a statement, the organising body said, “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.”
Moreover, FA confirmed to CNN Sports that the new policy will be implemented for all women’s soccer tiers in England–from elite professional leagues to local grassroots competitions. This simply means that transgender women, regardless of skill level or league status, will no longer be eligible to participate in any official women’s teams across the country.
According to CNN, there are roughly 20 transgender women currently playing at the amateur level. It may seem small, but the policy marks a significant shift in terms of inclusivity in English football.
The reason behind the decision
The FA’s decision to ban transgender women from women’s soccer comes from a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that redefined the legal meaning of a “woman”. This means only biological females under the equality law are considered. This unanimous decision is seen to influence policies more than just sports, and will eventually include bathrooms, hospital wards, and other gendered spaces.
LGBTQ+ advocates called this a troubling setback and warned that it could lead to the exclusion of transgender people from public life.
Before the UK Supreme Court’s ruling, the FA updated its transgender policy to allow trans women to play in soccer, provided that they have testosterone levels below 5.0 nanomoles per litre of blood for at least 12 months prior to competition. This ruling was then in line with the regulations set by UEFA and FIFA and aimed to balance inclusion with fairness.
The FA explained that its earlier policy was rooted in the goal of making football “accessible to as many people as possible”. The policy had been shaped by expert legal advice and was designed to comply with international football standards. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling shifted the legal framework, prompting the change.
The FA stated, “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.”
Furthermore, LGBTQ activist group Stonewall told CNN that this decision is “incredibly disappointing.
A Stonewall spokesperson said, “The (decision) … has been made too soon, before the implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling have been worked through by lawyers and politicians or become law…Trans women, young and old, who love football, will be deeply distressed that they are no longer able to take part in games at all levels. Trans people remain protected under the law and need to be treated with dignity and respect – and this announcement lacks any detail on how those obligations will be honoured.”
“Hasty decisions, without a full understanding of the practical implications and before any changes to guidance have gone through the necessary consultation and parliamentary process, isn’t the answer,” the spokesperson added.