England's football governing body has determined that transgender women will be barred from playing in women's football from June 1, 2025.

"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," the Football Association (FA) said in a statement.

'A complex subject' says England's FA

The FA said the matter "is a complex subject" and that it had always held the position that should there be "material change in law, science, or the operation of the policy in grassroots football," it would review and change policy accordingly.

"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 FA said in a statement.

Decision based on Supreme Court judgment

On April 16, the Supreme Court ruled that according to British equality law, a woman was defined as an individual who was born biologically female.

"The terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman," Supreme Court Justice Patrick Hodge said with five Supreme court judges unanimously passing the judgment.

On Thursday, the Scottish Football Association said it would implement a similar ban from the inception of its 2025/26 season.

The new rules will apply to all women's football at amateur and professional levels in both countries.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse