Some rugby programs eliminate women’s teams in favor of ‘open’ category for trans athletes

A rugby program that competes in competitions sanctioned by USA Rugby eliminated their women’s teams to start a team under the new “open” gender division. The changes come in response to a new policy by USA Rugby to only allow biological females to compete in women’s competition. 

The Charlotte Royals has switched its women’s team to the “open” category, and alongside another team, the Mother Ruckers, has put out statements declaring their support for the “open” category, encouraging other teams to also switch from a women’s team to an “open” team. 

“On 2/27/2026, a law was put into effect by the current U.S. administration that bans trans women from playing in Women’s Divisions,” the Royals said in a statement. “USA Rugby has made changes to its eligibility policy based on these laws. USA Rugby has introduced the Open Division, a division separate from Women’s and Men’s divisions, for clubs and unions to sanction matches for all genders to participate in. For context, USA Rugby is the governing body of all rugby played in the US.

“The Charlotte Royals believe that trans women are women. Banning trans players hurts everyone in the sport and the larger community. We will be using the Open Division for any sanctioned matches we engage in, and encourage other clubs/unions to do the same.

“Trans women were the trailblazers of the U.S. LGBTQIA+ Liberation movement during Stonewall, especially Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. We will continue to include our trans siblings in our organization and community, without hesitation.”

The Charlotte Royals club previously was the host club for the 2021 International Gay Rugby North American Championship.

USA Rugby announced Friday it would be introducing a new “open” gender division to accommodate trans athletes.

The new rule came more than a year after President Donald Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order and nearly seven months after the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s (USOPC) new requirement for all governing bodies to comply with it.

“USA Rugby will now have three competition categories; Men’s Division, Women’s Division and Open Division. The Open Division will permit any athlete, regardless of gender assigned at birth and gender identity, to compete in USA Rugby-sanctioned events, whether full contact or non-contact,” the organization said in a statement.

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In July, the USOPC updated its athlete safety policy to indicate compliance with Trump’s executive order. 

USA Rugby’s “open” category is now a proof of concept for other programs to get around Trump’s executive order, to keep trans athletes competing against women while leaving women with no female-only option. 

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