Transgender women will no longer be permitted to participate in women’s football in England and Scotland beginning from June 1, 2025, following new policy changes announced by both nations' football governing bodies on Thursday.
The Football Association (FA) of England confirmed the revision to its transgender inclusion policy in response to a recent UK Supreme Court judgment interpreting the Equality Act, which defines sex as biological in law.
The ruling has prompted a significant shift in policy. While the FA previously allowed transgender women to play in women’s leagues if they met certain testosterone criteria and passed a fairness and safety review, the updated regulations will now prohibit all transgender women from competing in female categories at both amateur and professional levels.
“We recognise this will be upsetting for some individuals who simply want to play the sport they love in accordance with their gender identity,” the FA said in its statement. “We are reaching out directly to the transgender players currently registered to explain the changes and explore ways they can remain involved in the game.”
Scotland’s Football Association also echoed the decision, stating that from the 2025/26 season onward, only players assigned female at birth will be eligible to compete in girls’ and women’s competitions under its governance.
“As a gender-affected sport, the Scottish FA board has determined that only biological females will be allowed in the female game at the competitive level, starting from Under-13,” the SFA said.
The new rules mark a decisive moment in the ongoing debate balancing gender identity with fairness and safety in competitive sport, and are expected to spark further discussion among stakeholders in the global football community.
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