Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that “women” and “sex” legal terms in English law refer only to biological sex.
The Football Association (FA) has announced that it will ban women from playing British women’s soccer from next season, following a landmark ruling by the UK Supreme Court.
After the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month, “women” and “gender” in British law refer only to biological sex, and only to judgments that have a greater meaning in unity space and competition.
In a statement, the FA said: “As a national sports governing body, our role is to ensure that as many people as possible have access to football within the laws and international football policy defined by UEFA and FIFA.
“Our current policy to enable trans women to participate in women’s games is based on this principle and is supported by expert legal advice.”
Scotland FA
FAs don’t just respond to legal clarification. On the same day, the Scottish FA confirmed that it would also modify its gender participation policy in line with the court’s ruling.
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“As a sport affected by gender, the Scottish FA board has determined that from the start of season 2025/26, it will be possible to play competitive girls and girls’ soccer controlled by the Scottish FA,” the Scottish FA said in a statement issued Thursday.
Scottish players usually move to competitive football at the level of under 13 years of age under the journey of national players.
The Scottish FA has noted that it will provide guidance on implementing the new policy and consult stakeholders to ensure a consistent approach.
It also cited updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, confirming that “women” is defined as biological women under the Equality Act.
Supreme Court decision
The Supreme Court decision that made it clear that protected properties of sex under the Equality Act of 2010 apply strictly to biological sex was forced to change course to the FA.
Men who identify as women, including women with gender recognition certificates (GRCs), may be legally excluded from women-only sports if they are deemed proportional for reasons such as fairness or safety.
“Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s soccer in the UK,” the FA confirmed.
“We understand that this is difficult for people who simply want to play games they love with the gender they identify, and we explain how to reach out to registered trans women who are currently playing to explain how to continue to be involved in the change and games,” the statement added.
Previous Guidelines
The move marks the end of a policy that allowed men to compete in women’s soccer under strict eligibility criteria, including evidence of hormone therapy to reduce testosterone levels and regular medical evaluations.
Previous FA guidelines also included observations and annual reviews of matches to ensure fair competition and safety.
England’s Keira Walsh and Rachel Daly celebrate penalty shots during the Final Sima 2023 match between the English and Brazilian women at Wembley Stadium in London on April 6, 2023. Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
In the previous framework, male players had to demonstrate that serum testosterone levels were below 5.0 nmol/L for at least 12 months before being considered eligible to play in a female match.
The Supreme Court decision was welcomed by women’s rights groups and challenged the interpretation of gender and gender in public policy.
The ruling stems from the legal challenges posed by the campaign group for women Scotland over women’s representation in the Public Commission.
The court concluded that allowing GRC to be treated as women for the purposes of gender-based rights undermines legal clarity and protection for biological women in the Equality Act.
LGBT advocacy organizations, including Stonewall, have warned of the meaning of domination, which has been described as “incredibly worrying” for Trans Community and its supporters.
UK sports shift
In 2023, Swim England introduced the “open” category for athletes assigned at birth, including trans and non-binary competitors, in all areas, including swimming, artistic swimming, diving, and water polo.
This category applies to all licensed events that are provided to official rankings or routes of talent, including those run by Swim England regions, counties, clubs and related groups.
As sports governing bodies across the UK evaluate their own policies in light of the Supreme Court’s decision, the FA movement could set precedents for other organizations.
Rachel Roberts contributed to this report.
