Female referees to make World Cup history in Qatar this year

Six women among 129 officials appointed by Fifa for tournament

Female football referees will make World Cup history this year by overseeing games at a major men’s tournament for the first time in Qatar. Three female referees and three female assistant referees were announced yesterday by Fifa among 129 officials selected for World Cup duty. French referee Stephanie Frappart (pictured) already worked men’s games in World Cup qualifying and the Champions League, after handling the 2019 Women’s World Cup final. She also refereed the final of the men’s French Cup this month.

Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan are also on the list of 36 referees preparing for the 64 games at the tournament, which will be played from November 21 to December 18.

The 69 assistant referees include Neuza Back of Brazil, Karen Diaz Medina of Mexico and Kathryn Nesbitt of the US.

“As always, the criteria we have used is ‘quality first’ and the selected match officials represent the highest level of refereeing worldwide,” said Fifa Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina, who worked the 2002 World Cup final. “In this way, we clearly emphasise that it is quality that counts for us and not gender.”

Among the male referees is Janny Sikazwe of Zambia, who blew the final whistle at an African Cup group match after 85 minutes and again 13 seconds before the 90 minutes were complete, with Mali leading Tunisia 1-0. The match in January was played in heat and humidity in Cameroon, and Sikazwe later explained he suffered heatstroke and become confused in the conditions.