The world football governing body FIFA through its social platform have announced that the match between Costa Rica and Germany will be officiated by an-all female referees. The first time this will be happening in the tournament’s 92-year history.
French referee Stéphanie Frappart will oversee the match from the center marking another milestone as she will become the first ever female referee to officiate a men’s World Cup game when the last Group E match takes place on Thursday.
The 38-year-old has been used as a fourth official for Poland’s Group C match against Mexico last week, and so far at the 2022 tournament. She has written her name into football history as she boasts experience in the European World Cup qualifiers, 2022 Coupe de France final and 2019 women’s World Cup final. Frappart was also the first woman to referee a Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League game.
She will be assisted by Brazilian Neuza Back and Karen Diaz Medina of Mexico to form an all-female officiating team – another men’s World Cup first. Kathryn Nesbitt will serve as the offside specialist among the VAR team.
Also participating in the 2022 World Cup is Rwandan Salima Mukansanga who ten months ago, became the first female to officiate an all-male team football match at Africa Cup of Nations. She has also officiated at the Olympics, FIFA Women’s World Cup, Africa Women Cup of Nations and CAF Women’s Champions League, and is now the first African woman to officiate a men’s World Cup as she was used as fourth referee for the France and Australia.
Yamashita Yoshimi of Japan became the first women to referee matches in the J-League and Asian Champions League, on top of officiating at the 2019 Women’s World Cup and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
MOLATsportgist 