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FIFA is facing mounting pressure over whether to adopt restrictions on transgender athletes in women's soccer after the Trump administration said it intends to push the international governing body to ensure only biological women compete in the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup, Politico reported on Sunday.
Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House World Cup Task Force, said the issue will be a key priority in negotiations over the 2031 tournament, which is expected to be hosted by the U.S. and regional partners.
Speaking to Politico, Giuliani said securing a commitment from FIFA that "women play in the Women's World Cup and not biological men" could become a central element of discussions with the organization.
The effort would extend the Trump administration's broader campaign to restrict transgender women from competing in female sports categories.
Earlier this year, the International Olympic Committee adopted a policy requiring athletes competing in women's events to undergo one-time genetic screening, mirroring a White House executive order establishing sex-based eligibility standards for female sports.
The proposal, however, has drawn opposition from anti-discrimination advocates, who argue such policies would exclude transgender athletes and could also affect women with certain genetic conditions.
Piara Powar, executive director of the anti-discrimination organization Fare Network, urged FIFA not to permanently incorporate any transgender ban into its regulations.
"We think it's important that even if a ban comes into force for the World Cup in 2031 it should not be embedded in FIFA regulations permanently," Powar told Politico in a text message. "FIFA should not go the way of the IOC and exclude human beings from participation in football."
FIFA did not respond to requests for comment.
Under FIFA's current eligibility framework, the organization does not operate a centralized sex-verification system. Instead, national soccer federations are responsible for confirming players' eligibility before submitting tournament rosters, including reviewing any perceived deviations in secondary sex characteristics and maintaining supporting documentation.
Powar warned that any blanket eligibility rule could also affect athletes with differences in sex development, a group of naturally occurring medical conditions that can involve atypical chromosomes or hormone levels.
Jon Holmes, a spokesperson for advocacy group Football v Homophobia, echoed those concerns, saying women with the conditions would likely "bear the brunt" of any new restrictions.
Holmes also questioned the practical necessity of the administration's proposal, noting there is no evidence transgender women are currently competing at the highest levels of international women's soccer.
Payoshni Mitra, an advocate who opposes mandatory sex testing in women's sports, said it remains premature to speculate because FIFA has not proposed a formal policy.
"I will be very, very surprised if suddenly they come up with a very exclusionary policy," Mitra told Politico, adding she expects any future regulations to be grounded in scientific evidence while also considering athlete welfare.
FIFA has not officially awarded hosting rights for the 2031 Women's World Cup, although the U.S, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica have submitted the only joint bid.
Giuliani said FIFA officials have already informed President Donald Trump that the U.S. will host the tournament.
Powar urged FIFA and other international sports organizations to weigh the broader implications of accepting host nation demands tied to athlete eligibility.
"We would urge all sports bodies to think of the credibility of their sport and the harmful impact of accepting all U.S. conditions of hosting — it may come at the cost of excluding participants," Powar said. "And in football, a sport that has always been the most open and accessible, that could be devastating."
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