London, May 1 (NationPress) The Football Association (FA) has proclaimed that transgender women will be prohibited from participating in women’s football in England starting June 1. This decision aligns with the ruling from the Supreme Court that a woman's identity is determined by her biological sex according to equality law.

Just a month prior, the FA had indicated that transgender women could still compete in women’s football as long as they adhered to specific criteria. These conditions included maintaining reduced testosterone levels and undergoing "match observation" to assess whether the player posed a "risk" to the safety of others and the integrity of fair competition.

However, after the UK Supreme Court's ruling on April 16, which clarified that the legal definition of a woman is rooted in biological sex, the FA has rescinded its earlier policy, declaring that only individuals born as biologically female will be eligible to play.

"As the governing body of the national sport, it is our responsibility to ensure football is accessible to as many individuals as possible, while adhering to legal and international football regulations set forth by UEFA and FIFA.

"Our existing policy that allowed transgender women to participate in the women's game was developed based on this principle and supported by expert legal counsel.

"This subject is complex, and our stance has always been that we would reassess our policy if there were significant changes in law, science, or grassroots football operations. The Supreme Court’s ruling on April 16 signifies that we must revise our policy. From June 1, 2025, transgender women will be barred from playing in women’s football in England," the FA's statement indicated.

This directive will affect approximately 20 transgender women among the millions of amateur players.

"We recognize that this will pose challenges for individuals who simply wish to engage in the sport they cherish in the gender with which they identify, and we are reaching out to the registered transgender women currently participating to clarify the changes and explore ways they can remain involved in the sport," the FA remarked.

The FA's announcement followed closely on the heels of the Scottish FA board's decision that starting from the 2025/26 season, only biologically female players will be allowed to compete in girls' and women's football governed by the Scottish FA.

Significantly, there are currently no transgender players registered with the Scottish FA.