English FA bans transgender females from women's football

Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women's football in England from 1 June, the Football Association has announced.

It amended its rules on 11 April, applying stricter eligibility criteria for transgender women to continue playing in women's football at all levels.

However, following the UK Supreme Court's ruling on 15 April that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, the FA has scrapped that policy and says only those born biologically female will be permitted to play.

"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 FA said.

The FA has offered those players banned from competing free therapy with Sporting Chance, external - a charity which provides sportspeople with mental health support.

"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 said on Thursday that there were fewer than 30 transgender women registered among millions of amateur players.

There are no registered transgender women in the professional game across the Home Nations.

The Scottish FA on Thursday also announced it was banning transgender women, external from women's football in Scotland.

Sources have told BBC Sport that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is also expected to ban transgender women from the women's game.

The ECB has been taking legal advice on its transgender policy following the Supreme Court ruling and is expected to sanction changes to its transgender policy at a board meeting on Friday.

On Thursday England Netball also changed its guidelines by banning transgender women from its female category.

The Football Association of Wales said it would "await further guidance for the sports sector".

When contacted by BBC Sport NI on Thursday, the Irish Football Association said: "We will review the judgment and interim guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to fulfil our obligations under the Equality Act 2010, as clarified by this ruling."

What was the FA's previous policy?

Under amended rules announced on 11 April, the FA said transgender women could continue to participate in women's football provided they met certain criteria.

They would have to prove via medical records that their testosterone levels had been below prescribed levels for at least the past 12 months, and provide a record of hormone therapy and an annual review of treatment.

A new formal process, which would involve a "match observation" by an FA official, would give the FA "ultimate discretion" on a case-by-case basis.

What has the FA said to players?

BBC Sport has seen a letter sent by the FA to transgender players facing an immediate ban.

As well as the offer of "free, fully confidential online talking therapy" the FA said it hopes to have mixed gender football available from the 2026-27 season and even suggested players move into other areas of the game.

"You might be willing to consider moving your enjoyment of affiliated football into coaching or being a match official," the letter says.

What has the reaction been?

Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns for human rights charity Sex Matters, said the ruling was "overdue" and that the previous policy was "nonsensical".

Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, who has been vocal on the issue of transgender women in women's sport, said on X: "This is great news for the safety and fairness of all our girls and women in football. Should never have been allowed in the first place. Now every sport must follow suit."

Campaign group Women's Rights Network said: "We are pleased that the FA has finally seen the light. But it shouldn't have been such a hard fight to get here."

Asked what Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer thought of transgender women being banned from women's sport, his spokesman said the government had "been clear that biology matters when it comes to women's sport and that everyone should be compliant with the law".

He said the government would "continue to work to make sure that women and girls across the country can enjoy sports and we will continue to support bodies to protect the integrity, safety and fairness of the game".

He said it was the responsibility of sporting bodies to set their own rules.

Natalie Washington, campaign lead for Football vs Transphobia, said transgender women are now likely to give up football.

"The people I know that are talking about this are saying, 'Well, that's it for football for me'," she said.

"Most people clearly don't feel that they can go and play in the men's game for reasons of safety, for reasons of comfort."

Pride Sports, which runs the Football vs Transphobia campaign, said there is no "football-specific peer-reviewed research or evidence that shows the existing policies constitute a safety risk".

Lord David Triesman, former chairman of the FA, said there should be "consequences for the most senior FA officers" who took the decision to previously allow transgender women in women's football.

"The FA has finally seen sense. It would have been the utmost foolishness to disregard the Supreme Court," he said.

Anti-discrimination group Kick it Out said: "Now is the time to show solidarity with the trans community and remind ourselves that football brings people together and is often a space for belonging, connection, and joy.

"The recent Supreme Court ruling and the FA's decision to change its policy will have far-reaching consequences, not only for the people we support but for our friends, families, team-mates and wider communities.

"Transphobic abuse - on the pitch, in the stands and online - is real and rising."

What about other sports?

The FA is the first major governing sporting body to amend its transgender eligibility criteria following the Supreme Court ruling.

The Ultimate Pool Group (UPG) - the professional body for eight-ball pool - banned transgender women from its female category last month.

Other governing bodies, including the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), are reassessing their transgender eligibility criteria.

Athletics, cycling and aquatics have implemented outright bans on transgender women taking part in women's events.

In 2022 British Triathlon became the first British sporting body to establish an open category in which transgender athletes can compete.

This year the ECB banned transgender women from elite domestic cricket.

The ruling meant any player that had gone through male puberty would not be able to feature in the top two tiers of the women's game, but that transgender women were still eligible for the third tier and below.

However, the ECB is expected to follow the FA ruling by banning transgender women from all levels of the women's game.

England Netball's new guidelines, which will apply from 1 September, recognise three distinct gender participation categories: female, male and mixed.

The female category would be "exclusively for players born female, irrespective of their gender identity", while mixed netball will "serve as the sport's inclusive category, allowing players to complete under the gender with which they identify".