Overview

• The Football Association's ban on transgender women in women’s football in England will take effect on June 1, 2025, impacting around 20 grassroots players.
• The Scottish FA has also announced a similar policy, barring transgender women over the age of 13 from participating in women’s football starting next season.
• The bans follow the UK Supreme Court's April 2025 ruling that defines 'woman' under the Equality Act as referring exclusively to biological females.
• Grassroots clubs, including Goal Diggers FC and Hackney Women’s FC, have condemned the bans as discriminatory, staging protests and delivering public letters to FA leadership.
• The FA has offered affected players therapy and alternative roles, such as coaching or refereeing, but critics argue the decision undermines inclusivity in the sport.