Stephanie Frappart took charge of the Germany VS Costa Rica match on Thursday and made history as the first woman to referee a match at the men’s World Cup. She led an all-female on-field team for the Group E match at Al Bayt Stadium, with Brazil’s Neuza Back and Mexican Karen Diaz Medina as her assistants.
There are six female match officials that have been officiating in this World Cup so far. They are referees Frappart, Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita as well as assistant referees Back, Diaz and Kathryn Nesbitt of the US.
Frappart previously made history in the World Cup as the first female official for a men’s World Cup match when she was the fourth official for the Mexico VS Poland game last Tuesday.
Prior to making history in the World Cup, the 38-year-old made a name for herself as the first female referee to take charge of a men’s World Cup Qualifier in March 2021. The French official also refereed the Super Cup match between Liverpool and Chelsea in 2019, and the women’s World Cup final between the US and the Netherlands the same year.
In one interview, the female official stated, “It’s a strong sign from FIFA and the authorities to have women referees in that country,”
