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Football Association to ban transgender women from women's football in England

A view of the exterior of Wembley Stadium in London, 3 October, 2018
A view of the exterior of Wembley Stadium in London, 3 October, 2018 Copyright  AP Photo
Copyright AP Photo
By Rory Sullivan
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The decision comes in response to the Supreme Court's ruling last month that the term 'woman' in equality law refers to a 'biological woman'.

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The Football Association (FA) has announced that transgender women will not be allowed to compete in women's football in England from the start of June.

The decision follows a Supreme Court ruling last month that the terms "woman" and "sex" in equality law refer to "a biological woman and biological sex."

As a result of the judgement, the FA was advised by its lawyers to change its previous policy, which had allowed transgender women to play in the women's game.

In a statement released on Thursday, the football body said it had always been open to reviewing its position "if there was a material change in law."

"The Supreme Court's ruling on the 16 April means that we will be changing our policy," the FA confirmed.

Campaigners take part in a rally following the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman in equalities law, 19 April, 2025
Campaigners take part in a rally following the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman in equalities law, 19 April, 2025 AP Photo

"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," it added.

The FA said it would directly contact all registered transgender women affected by the decision.

The move comes barely a month after the FA ruled that transgender women could continue playing women's football provided their testosterone levels were below five nmol/L for at least a year.

The Supreme Court's contentious decision has upended years of policymaking, with many rights groups criticising the ruling.

A trans former judge plans to launch an appeal in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Victoria McCloud, who came out as transgender in the 1990s and became a judge in 2006, told Euronews that the judgement made life "impossible for people like me."

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