Transgender women will be allowed to continue to compete in women's football in England provided they meet stricter eligibility criteria, the Football Association has said.
The criteria in the FA's updated trans policy includes meeting reduced testosterone levels and "match observation" to evaluate if the player "presents a risk" to the safety of other players and fair competition.
The FA says a new formal process will give the governing body "ultimate discretion" over eligibility and it will be managed on a "case-by-case basis".
Campaigners have been calling for the FA to update its transgender policy, with an estimated 100 protesters calling for change before England's men's match against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley in November.
Sports such as rugby union, rugby league and hockey restrict women's competition to players that have not gone through male puberty.
The FA says there are 20 transgender women registered to play amateur football in England among the millions who play at that level and there are none in the professional game across the Home Nations.
Transgender women will be allowed to compete in women's football provided their testosterone levels are below prescribed levels.
They must provide proof that they have been below the limit for at least 12 months, as well as a medical record of hormone therapy and an annual review of treatment.
However, a new formal process - which will involve a match observation by an FA official - will give the body the ability to remove or refuse a player's permission to play in the women's game.
The FA's policy was introduced in 2015 and the BBC has been told there have been few real challenges on the basis of safety or fairness.
In December 2023, a group of 48 MPs signed a letter urging the Football Association to change its rules on transgender inclusion to "protect women and girls" in football.
That came after several teams reportedly withdrew from games against a recreational side in Yorkshire after a shot by a transgender player injured an opponent.
Sutton United women's team postponed a fixture against Ebbsfleet United in September 2024 through "an abundance of caution". It came after Sutton signed Blair Hamilton, a transgender goalkeeper.
The club made history in January 2024 by appointing Lucy Clark, the first openly transgender manager in British football.
In March, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said the governing body was looking to "refine" its transgender policy but its current rules were "in the right place".
