Scottish FA to ban trans women from women's football, following Supreme Court ruling

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) has announced it will update its gender policy to ban transgender women from competing in women’s football, effective next season. This decision will impact all levels of competitive football in Scotland, from under-13s upwards.

Currently, transgender women could participate in women’s football in Scotland, but only on a case-by-case basis, with factors such as testosterone levels being taken into account. However, under the new guidelines, only individuals born biologically female will be allowed to play in women’s competitive football, aligning the policy with other sports like rugby, swimming, and athletics.

Policy Change Triggered by Recent Legal Rulings

The updated policy comes just a week after a landmark ruling by the UK Supreme Court, which determined that the term “woman” under the Equality Act refers only to those born biologically female. The decision to ban transgender women from participating in the women’s game follows this ruling, as well as ongoing discussions within the SFA regarding gender inclusion in sports .

While no transgender women are currently registered to play in competitive women’s football in Scotland, the SFA had been working on revising its guidelines for some time. The change will apply to all competitive football, including grassroots levels.

Controversy and Calls for Further Guidance

The decision is expected to spark controversy, particularly in light of the Scottish government’s recent attempt to broaden the legal definition of "woman" to include trans women. First Minister John Swinney has called on sporting bodies to wait for guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission before revising their policies.

Meanwhile, in England, the Football Association (FA) has taken a different approach. The FA continues to allow transgender women to compete in women’s football, provided their testosterone levels are below a certain threshold for at least 12 months. Currently, there are 20 transgender women registered to play in amateur football in England.

Moving Forward

The SFA’s new policy will come into effect next season, and steps to ensure legal and governance compliance are currently being worked through. As Scotland moves forward with this decision, there is an ongoing conversation about how best to balance inclusion with fairness in competitive sports. The SFA has also stated that it is looking into ways to increase LGBTQ+ participation in football.