London/Edinburgh (TDI): The Football Associations of England and Scotland have barred transgender women from playing football. The decision was announced after the Football Association (FA) of England updated its policy in the light of UK Supreme Court’s ruling about the Equality Act.
Just prior to the Supreme Court’s decision, the Football Association had updated its policies, allowing transgender women to play football only if they reduce their testosterone levels. However, after the ruling, the FA of England and Scotland announced to completely ban transgender women from football fields.
In a statement issued by the England’s Football Association, it said, “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 Supreme Court’s ruling on 16 April means that we will be changing our policy. 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 noted further.
Read More: Pakistani E-sports Legend Arsalan Ash Secures Victory at LVL UP EXPO 2025
Similarly, the Football Association of Scotland also updated its policy to allow only biological females to participate in football matches in 2025 and 2026.
The UK Supreme Court recently clarified some sections of the Equality Act including Section 195, which allowed the lawful exclusion of athletes from gender-affected sports based on sex and stated that it was “plainly predicated on biological sex” rather than certificated sex.
The Football Association of England further added, “As the governing body of the national sport, our role is to make football accessible to as many people as possible, operating within the law and international football policy defined by UEFA and FIFA.”
“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 stated.
Read More: Boxing Legend Amir Khan Visits Astana to Promote Sports Diplomacy
Former Chairman of the Football Association, Lord Triesman, told The Telegraph, “The pitiful excuses of some sports bodies, and especially the FA, are unlawful. Women’s sport, as in all else, is defined by biology facts. There is no room for alternative propositions and the bodies concerned must reform and comply with the law at once or certainly face constant legal challenges.”
FIFA, which is football’s global governing body has been under the process of reviewing its transgender policies for the past several years. The Association has not announced its final decision on its policy, nor has commented on the actions taken by the Football Associations of England and Scotland.
On the other hand, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) has recently announced that it will also be reviewing its policies in light of the recent developments.
Javaria Khalid is a writer and researcher, who specializes in Pakistan's Foreign Policy Analysis, transatlantic geopolitics, and Pakistan’s relations with the European countries and the EU. She can be reached at javariakhalid011@outlook.com
