All-female on-field refereeing team for FIFA World Cup™ make history

The December 1 Costa Rica and Germany will go down in history regardless of the final score, because of the all-female on-field refereeing team in charge.

It’s another win for women as this team of female officials referee a men’s FIFA World Cup™ game for the first time in Thursday’s group-stage game.

Stephanie Frappart of France will become the first woman to referee a men’s FIFA World Cup™ game in this match. But this is not her first history-making move in this FIFA World Cup™.  The Frenchwoman became the first female official at the tournament when she was named as the fourth official for Mexico and Poland’s game last Tuesday.

Frappart spoke with BBC Sport before the tournament, and she said, “We know the pressure.”

“But I think we will not change ourselves. Be calm, focused, concentrate, and don’t think too much about the media and everything, just be focused on the field.”

Rounding out the team of women as assistant referees are Brazil’s Neuza Back and Mexican Karen Diaz Medina, at Al Bayt Stadium today, Thursday, December 1, 2022. According to Associated Press, a fourth woman match official FIFA picked for this World Cup, Kathryn Nesbitt of the United States, will also be working at the Al Bayt Stadium as the offside specialist in the video review team. (AP)