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Stephanie Frappa (centre) has earlier become the first female referee in the history of the Men’s World Cup.
On Thursday (December 1), the final round of the 2022 Qatar World Cup group match between Costa Rica and Germany will be the first men’s World Cup game in history to be enforced by an all-female referee team.
Stephanie Frappart will also be the first female referee in the history of the Men’s World Cup.
The French woman has already taken the lead in becoming the first female referee in the Men’s World Cup. She was appointed as the fourth referee (that is, the fourth person following the referee and the two linesmen) in the match between Mexico and Poland last Tuesday (November 22).
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As a female referee, Frappa made history in this World Cup.
“But I don’t think we’ll change who we are. Calm, focused, focused, don’t think too much regarding the media or anything else, just focus on the court.”
Joining Frappa at the Al Bayt Stadium on Thursday will be the match’s assistant referees, Brazilian Neuza Back and Mexican Karen Diaz · Medina (Karen Diaz Medina).
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Brazilian Noiza Baker will serve as an assistant referee for Thursday’s game.
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Another assistant referee is Mexican Karen Diaz Medina.
Asked if she’s ever been judged by players, managers or fans for being a woman, Frappa said: “I’ve had the support of teams, clubs and players since I started doing this job. I’ve always been on the pitch. Everyone is welcome, so I feel like I’m just another referee on the field. It was like that before, so I feel like I’m going to be as popular as I was.”
Already in 2020, Frappa has become the first female referee for a men’s UEFA Champions League match.
At the age of 38, she also refereeed the 2019 UEFA Super Cup match between Liverpool (Liverpool) and Chelsea (Chelsea). At that time, she was the first woman to serve as the referee in a major European men’s football game.
There are 36 referees at the World Cup in Qatar, and three of them are women – besides Frapa, Salima Mukansanga from Rwanda and Yoshimi Yamashita from Japan .
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Rwandan referee Salima Mukansanga (right)
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Japan trial Yoshimi Yamashita
