FA Ban Trans Women
The Football Association (FA) has confirmed it will ban transgender women from playing in women’s football in England, a major policy shift triggered by a recent Supreme Court judgment clarifying that the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act applies only to biological females.
FA Announces Ban on Transgender Women in Women’s Football Following Supreme Court Ruling
The decision will take effect from 1 June 2025, and follows a similar move by England Netball, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) expected to follow suit during its upcoming board meeting.
Legal Shift Forces FA to Reverse Policy on Transgender Participation
Previously, the FA permitted transgender women—those who had experienced male puberty—to compete in the women’s category if they maintained testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L for at least 12 months. However, this policy has now been scrapped after senior legal counsel advised that the FA must align with the court’s interpretation of the law.
Following the FA ban Trans women move, the FA explained:
“The Supreme Court’s ruling on 16 April represents a material change in the legal landscape. As such, we are updating our policy. Transgender women will no longer be eligible to play in women’s football in England.”
England Netball and ECB Prepare Similar Bans
England Netball has also confirmed a comparable change. Starting 1 September 2025, the female category will be restricted to players born female. A new “mixed netball” category will be introduced to allow inclusive participation, enabling players to compete according to their gender identity.
The ECB is expected to adopt an identical approach by the end of this week. Cricket currently allows trans women in grassroots female teams, but internal sources suggest that legal pressures are driving a change.
Reactions from Campaigners, Government, and Advocacy Groups
The FA’s updated stance has been widely welcomed by groups advocating for single-sex sport categories. Sex Matters and SEEN in Sport, argue that fairness and safety in women’s sports must be based on biological sex.
Fiona McAnena of Sex Matters stated:
“This is welcome but long overdue. Every sport now needs to re-establish a genuine women’s category.”
A Downing Street spokesperson also endorsed the change, stating that compliance with the law and protection of fairness for women and girls in sport is a government priority.
However, the decision drew criticism from LGBT+ rights group Stonewall, which accused the FA of acting prematurely.
“This decision has come too soon, before legal and political implications have been fully considered,” said a Stonewall spokesperson.
The FA has said it will directly contact the 20 registered transgender women currently playing in England to discuss how they might remain involved in football through alternative roles or categories. How the FA ban on Trans women move might affect those people has yet to be discussed.
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