Scottish FA rule on whether transgender women can compete in women's football after Supreme Court verdict

The Scottish Football Association is to ban trans women from competing in women's football from next season.

According to a report, the Hampden authority will update its gender policy ahead of the 2025-26 campaign to rule that only those born biologically female will be allowed to take part in competitive matches in the women's game.

The SFA's current policy permits transgender women to compete in their assigned gender category on a case-by-case basis dependant on testosterone levels. However, BBC Scotland has reported that a revised policy was agreed at a recent board meeting that will prevent transgender women from taking part in women's matches.

Transgender women will be banned from competing in competitive women's football in Scotland from next season. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group

The new SFA stance follows last week's UK Supreme Court ruling that a women is defined by biological sex under the Equality Act 2010 and that a person with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) in the female gender "does not come within the definition of a woman".

The updated policy will apply to all levels of competitive football, from under-13 grassroots up to the senior game. It is understood that no transgender women are currently playing competitive football in Scotland.

There is currently no blanket ban on trans women competing in women’s football in England, although the Football Association recently updated its transgender and non-binary inclusion policy, including the addition of a formal process allowing it to exercise ultimate discretion to refuse or remove eligibility to players on grounds of safety or fairness.

The governing body says around 20 transgender women have been able to play in the grassroots game this season out of the millions who compete, and that in the 10 years since adopting a transgender policy it has received very little challenge on the grounds of safety and fairness.

Many UK sports – including athletics, cycling, rugby and triathlon – had already barred anyone born male from competitive female events prior to this month’s Supreme Court ruling.