For the first time in the history of men’s football, female referees will officiate at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Six women are on FIFA’s official list of referees for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, making it the first major men’s football tournament to be officiated by female referees. Heck. Yes.
French referee Stéphanie Frappart, Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga, and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan all made the list of officials who will take the field during the 2022 World Cup during November and December this year.
Brazil’s Neuza Back, Karen Díaz Medina of Mexico, and Kathryn Nesbitt from the United States were also included on the list of assistant referees that will run the sidelines in Qatar.
Just incase there are any boomer men that will doubt the ability of these incredible referees, FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina made sure to point out that all officials were chosen based on their ability only.
“We clearly emphasise that it is quality that counts for us and not gender. I would hope that in the future, the selection of elite women’s match officials for important men’s competitions will be perceived as something normal and no longer as sensational,” he said.
“They deserve to be at the Fifa World Cup because they constantly perform at a really high level, and that’s the important factor for us.”
That’s a World Cup we can definitely get behind.
