NYC FOOTY’S GENDER POLICY EXPLAINED
At NYC Footy, community comes first — and that means creating an environment where everyone feels a genuine sense of belonging, both on and off the field.
We believe recreational soccer should be welcoming and inclusive to people of all life experiences, genders, and beliefs — so long as they align with our Code of Conduct. No matter who you are, you’re welcome here.
Over the years, NYC Footy has grown into the largest recreational soccer league in the country. We’ve done that by holding fast to a core principle: all our leagues, tournaments, and programs are mixed gender — by design, not by convenience.
Why being “exclusively mixed” matters — and why it’s challenging.
It’s important to be transparent about the challenges this commitment presents. Every season, our single largest operational burden is ensuring our free agent teams meet the required number of female-identifying players. This isn't just a minor hurdle — it’s a constant, labor-intensive effort.
The truth is, we could fill our leagues much more easily if we offered male-only programming. The demand from male players is significantly higher than from female players — a reflection of larger, long-standing disparities in sports participation. But that’s exactly why our mixed mandate matters.
We believe recreational sports should reflect the diversity of our city. And if we start compromising on inclusion for the sake of ease or speed, we risk losing the very thing that makes NYC Footy special. Upholding mixed-gender leagues is more than a policy — it’s a reflection of our core value: community over convenience.
What our gender policy is — and why.
To help address historic imbalances in sports, we require every team to meet a minimum number of female-identifying players per game. This ensures that female athletes aren’t sidelined or excluded in what often becomes a male-dominated environment. It also helps shape the inclusive, balanced culture we believe in.
At the same time, we know this approach isn’t perfect — especially for non-binary members of our community.
Let us be clear:
Non-binary players are always welcome and valued.
For the purposes of our gender policy, “female” refers specifically to players who identify as women.
Due to current software limitations, non-binary players are counted in the “non-female” category, which includes male-identifying players.
We understand this can feel frustrating or limiting — and we want to emphasize: this is not a reflection of how we see or value non-binary identities. Rather, it’s a temporary constraint as we work within the tools available to us.
As our systems improve, we’re committed to updating our policies to better reflect the full spectrum of gender diversity — with more nuance, flexibility, and care.
If you have questions, suggestions, or ideas for how we can better live up to our values, we’re always open to the conversation. You can email us anytime.