December 2 – Stephanie Frappart made history on Thursday as the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match, taking charge of the Germany vs Costa Rica final group E game at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Alongside assistants Neuza Back from Brazil and Karen Diaz from Mexico, the French woman formed part of an all-female refereeing trio. It was a first in the 92-year history of the World Cup, first staged in Uruguay in 1930.
Frappart has had considerable experience in the men’s game before debuting at the World Cup. In 2019, she became the first female referee to take charge of a Ligue 1 match, and a year later the first to officiate a men’s Champions League match.
“I am a great admirer of everything women have conquered,” said Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suáre in a pre-match news conference. “And I like that they want to keep conquering things. And this is another step forward, especially in this sport, which is very macho.”
Hansi Flick said: “I trust her 100 per cent I think she deserves to be here due to her performance and achievements.”
In spring, FIFA announced that six female officiating referees would head to Qatar for the World Cup.
However, Frappart and her colleagues’ presence in Qatar is perhaps not self-evident. In the host nation, women’s rights are restricted. Women remain tied to a male guardian, according to Amnesty International. They sometimes require permission for important decisions.
Frappart has already officiated as the fourth referee at Mexico vs Poland and Portugal vs Ghana. Germany went on to defeat Costa Rica 4-2, but it was not enough as Japan’s 2-1 come-back victory against Spain meant the four-time world champions were out.
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