Women Gamers Boycott Dead by Daylight Women’s World Cup Over Transgender Ban

When organizers of the unofficial "Dead by Daylight" Women’s World Cup informed participants that transgender women would not be allowed to compete, a wave of withdrawals from women gamers quickly followed, turning what was intended as a celebratory global tournament into a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over transgender inclusion in competitive spaces.

Streamer and artist Julia Canda was the first to publicly raise concerns, announcing on December 3 that she was withdrawing from Team USA after learning of the ban on transgender women. In her statement on X , Canda said she supported the idea of a women’s tournament but could not participate in an event organized by a male streamer that excluded a portion of women—specifically transgender women—on the basis of identity rather than competitive integrity.

Canda also shared screenshots of an alleged Discord conversation with the tournament’s organizer, who goes by Fishcadito , in which she directly asked whether transgender women would be allowed to participate. According to those screenshots, the organizer responded that for this World Cup “we’ve decided not to allow transgender women to participate, but we hope to include them in future tournaments.” This confirmation of a categorical exclusion of transgender women competitors sparked immediate criticism across social media and within the "Dead by Daylight" community.

Following Canda’s withdrawal, other prominent women in the "Dead by Daylight" esports scene announced that they and their teams would also pull out of the Women’s World Cup in solidarity with transgender women.

Twitch streamer Jiggledea, who had been named captain for the United Kingdom’s team, posted on X on December 4 that she would no longer participate after learning of the transgender exclusion policy. In her public statement, she explained that she did not want to take part in an event that excluded “some incredible women, ” affirming that her decision was based on standing with her community, which includes transgender women.

That same day, Canadian team captain Squish announced that Team Canada would also withdraw. Squish stated that “trans women are women” and said the team could not support a competition that formally disallowed transgender women from playing. The captain of Team USA also subsequently stated that her team would pull out, explaining that she believed transgender women are women and that this belief was incompatible with the tournament’s exclusionary policy.

According to reporting by Out , multiple teams took similar positions, noting that none of the women participating had been informed of a transgender exclusion rule when they initially signed up. Several players emphasized that the lack of transparency about eligibility policies, and the later revelation of a ban, undermined their trust in the event’s organization.

In response to the backlash, an X account under the name @FishcaditoTv, identified in coverage as associated with the tournament organizer, posted a public apology addressing the controversy and attempting to explain the rationale behind the transgender exclusion rule.

In this statement, organizers said they “deeply appreciate the community for expressing their concerns” and that they valued feedback from all sides. The message affirmed that they recognized and respected the diversity of identities in both the "Dead by Daylight" and broader gaming communities, specifically noting that transgender women are an important part of the scene and have participated in previous tournaments hosted by the same organizers.

The organizers attributed the decision to ban transgender women not to a desire to discriminate, but to what they described as “technical and operational limitations” linked to player verification in a global online women’s tournament. They argued that they did not have reliable tools to ensure what they called transparency and verification for every participant across different regions and platforms, and that in the absence of such tools, they made a decision under uncertainty.

The statement explained that the organizers relied on the trust placed in team leaders and players but felt that, without more formal verification mechanisms, they were unable to create procedures that were both “fair, safe, and respectful” for all participants. They framed the exclusion as stemming from a perceived inability to verify eligibility rather than an ideological stance, but acknowledged that this decision had caused discomfort and criticism from players and the community.

The message ended with an apology “if this situation has caused discomfort for any player” and a commitment to work toward future editions that could be more inclusive, expansive, and equitable while maintaining what they described as safety and competitive integrity.

The Dead by Daylight Women’s World Cup controversy is unfolding against a wider backdrop of debates over transgender women’s participation in women’s sports and competitions globally. In recent years, several major sports bodies and leagues have adopted restrictive policies, including bans or stricter criteria for transgender women in elite female categories.

Out’s report notes that the dispute in esports follows on from decisions in traditional sports, including bans on transgender women competitors in some school sports systems, policies affecting transgender women’s eligibility in the Olympics, and restrictions introduced in British women’s soccer. These decisions have been criticized by LGBTQ+ organizations and human rights groups, which argue that blanket bans based on identity rather than individualized assessments or inclusive guidelines can violate principles of non-discrimination and dignity for transgender people.

Esports occupies a distinct space from physical sports, but organizers and players are increasingly encountering similar questions about how to design women’s competitions that are both inclusive and free from discrimination. Major LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations such as GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign have documented the importance of access to affirming and inclusive spaces, including online gaming environments, for transgender people’s mental health and community connection.

In that context, a tournament policy that explicitly excludes transgender women from a women’s competition—regardless of its stated operational reasoning—has been perceived by many participants and observers as sending a message that transgender women are not recognized as women or as legitimate members of women’s competitive communities. This perception has been central to the public statements made by withdrawing teams, several of which have explicitly stated that “trans women are women” and called for women’s tournaments to reflect that understanding.

The response from LGBTQ+ communities, particularly transgender gamers and their allies, has largely focused on the importance of self-identification, dignity, and equal access to opportunities in esports. While the primary detailed reporting so far has come from Out , the framing of the issue aligns with broader advocacy positions that emphasize that transgender women should be able to participate in women’s spaces, including competitive gaming, without being singled out for separate or delayed inclusion.

In statements shared publicly, several captains and players underscore that they did not want to be part of a competition that builds women’s visibility at the expense of excluding transgender women. Some noted that, as women who themselves have faced discrimination or marginalization in gaming, they felt a responsibility to support other marginalized women, including transgender women, rather than benefit from their exclusion.

Advocacy organizations such as GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign have previously highlighted that exclusionary policies—whether grounded in stated concerns about verification, safety, or fairness—can still have significant harmful impacts on transgender people’s sense of belonging and their willingness to participate in community events. Research and policy summaries published by these organizations emphasize that the language used in eligibility rules, and the presence or absence of clear nondiscrimination commitments, shapes how safe transgender participants feel in a given environment.

In this case, the organizers’ statement that transgender women might be included in future events, coupled with the acknowledgment that they had previously welcomed transgender women in earlier tournaments, has not fully addressed concerns for those who argue that a women’s World Cup that excludes some women based on gender identity is incompatible with principles of inclusion. The combination of a categorical ban and a reliance on unspecified “technical limitations” has led critics to call for clearer commitments and more robust consultation with transgender players and LGBTQ+ organizations before setting eligibility policies.

The organizers of the Dead by Daylight Women’s World Cup have stated that they will continue engaging with the community and exploring options for more inclusive future editions. For many of the women who withdrew, however, the central question is whether transgender women will be recognized and welcomed as full participants in any tournament labeled as a women’s competition. The outcome of this controversy, and any policy changes that may follow, are likely to be watched closely across the esports ecosystem as a test case for how community-led events respond to calls for transgender inclusion.