Rugby programs eliminate women’s teams in favor of ‘open’ teams 

Some rugby clubs in the United States are eliminating their women’s teams and moving players to a new “open” category after USA Rugby changed its competition rules.

USA Rugby recently announced the creation of a third competition category called the Open Division, Fox News reported. The change came after federal policies required sports governing bodies to protect women’s competitions for biological females. 

“USA Rugby will now have three competition categories: Men’s Division, Women’s Division and Open Division,” it said about the change. “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.”

Instead of continuing to field a women’s team, one North Carolina club decided to move entirely into the new division.

The Charlotte Royals rugby club said it would convert its women’s team into an “open” team and encouraged other organizations to do the same. 

“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.” 

The club added that it would participate in the open category rather than as a women’s team.

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

Critics say the policy may undermine the goal of protecting women’s sports. The Independent Council on Women’s Sports criticized USA Rugby’s approach.

“USA Rugby has an alarming history of allowing a huge number of men who call themselves women to body-tackle female athletes on women’s teams,” the group said. “As a result, women have been forced to face teams with multiple male players, and men have advanced to the women’s national stage while female athletes deal with injuries and backlash within their own teams and unions for speaking up.”

Several sports bodies have discussed “open” categories in recent years, including in cycling and track. However, rugby appears to be one of the first cases where clubs are eliminating women’s teams in favor of the open division. Critics argue the model can pressure women’s teams to abandon female-only competition altogether.

(Image credit: Instagram/CharlotteRoyalsrfc)