The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have banned transgender women’s participation in all levels of women’s cricket with immediate effect. The ECB announced the decision by saying “only those whose biological sex is female” will be able to participate in women’s and girls’ cricket.”

What was the previous policy?

The ECB’s previous transgender policy regulations, which were announced in 2024, stipulated that any player who had gone through male puberty was barred from playing in the top two tiers of the women’s game.

However, the policy allowed transgender women to participate in the third tier of the domestic football structure.

The regulations came into effect after the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced in November 2023 that transgender women who had gone through male puberty were barred from playing in international women’s matches.

The ECB condemned the abuse and discrimination in cricket by claiming it “has no place in our sport” and it remains committed to ensuring cricket is “played in a spirit of respect and inclusivity”.

The decision comes in the wake of the English Football Association’s announcement on Thursday, which said that transgender women will not be allowed in women’s football in England from 1 June.

“However, given the new advice received about the impact of the Supreme Court ruling, we believe the changes announced today are necessary.”

The UK Supreme Court ruled on 15 April that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, prompting a policy change.

“Our regulations for recreational cricket have always aimed at ensuring that cricket remains as inclusive a sport as possible,” an ECB statement read.

“These included measures to manage disparities, irrespective of someone’s gender, and safeguard the enjoyment of all players.

According to the new ECB regulations, transgender women and girls can continue playing in open and mixed cricket categories.

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