Stéphanie Frappart to become first female referee at men’s World Cup game
The French referee Stéphanie Frappart will lead the first all-female officiating team for a men’s World Cup match when she takes charge of Costa Rica v Germany.
Frappart, who will be the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match, will be joined by the assistant referees Neuza Back of Brazil and Mexico’s Karen Díaz Medina for the crucial Group E game on Thursday, Fifa announced on Tuesday. The 38-year-old will mark another milestone in her career at the Al Bayt Stadium, having refereed a men’s World Cup qualifier in March, a men’s Champions League game in 2020, the 2019 Uefa Super Cup final and matches in Ligue 1, The Guardian reports. Before the tournament began, Frappart said she hoped the inclusion of female referees in Qatar would “make things happen” on a broader level. “It’s a strong sign from Fifa and the authorities to have women referees in that country,” she said.
