Transgender Football Team Loses 19-0 in First Match
According to a report by Reuters, a local football league in the Spanish region of Catalonia has welcomed an all-trans team that has started competing. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Fenix FC, a football team comprised entirely of transgender men, has officially joined a regional league in Spain, according to a report by Reuters.
The team, located in the Barcelona suburb of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, has commenced competition in the men’s fifth division of the Catalonia region. This milestone makes Fenix FC the first all-trans squad to be part of a football federation in Europe.
Named after the mythical phoenix, Fenix FC played its inaugural league match on September 21, where they experienced a 19-0 loss.
Hugo Martinez, the founder of Fenix FC, explained to Reuters that the decision to form an all-trans team stemmed from his experience of being asked to leave the women's team after starting his transition to a man through hormone therapy.
Team captain Luke Ibanez expressed his concerns about acceptance and potential violence when playing on a men’s team. "Fenix is a team of trans boys created entirely by trans boys, but I think it’s more than that – a family, a safe space where you can be free and express yourself however you want and how you really feel,” Ibanez stated.
In late 2022, Spain enacted legislation enabling citizens to change their legal gender without requiring psychological or medical evaluations.
The Catalan Football Federation informed Reuters that its men’s leagues have been inclusive for the past two seasons, allowing participation from people of any gender. It also noted that players can compete under a name different from their legal name.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
The team, located in the Barcelona suburb of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, has commenced competition in the men’s fifth division of the Catalonia region. This milestone makes Fenix FC the first all-trans squad to be part of a football federation in Europe.
Named after the mythical phoenix, Fenix FC played its inaugural league match on September 21, where they experienced a 19-0 loss.
Hugo Martinez, the founder of Fenix FC, explained to Reuters that the decision to form an all-trans team stemmed from his experience of being asked to leave the women's team after starting his transition to a man through hormone therapy.
Team captain Luke Ibanez expressed his concerns about acceptance and potential violence when playing on a men’s team. "Fenix is a team of trans boys created entirely by trans boys, but I think it’s more than that – a family, a safe space where you can be free and express yourself however you want and how you really feel,” Ibanez stated.
In late 2022, Spain enacted legislation enabling citizens to change their legal gender without requiring psychological or medical evaluations.
The Catalan Football Federation informed Reuters that its men’s leagues have been inclusive for the past two seasons, allowing participation from people of any gender. It also noted that players can compete under a name different from their legal name.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
