- Stephanie Frappart will become the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match
- The French referee is used to making history in men’s football
- Frapper will take charge of Costa Rica v Germany on 1 December
History will be made when Costa Rica face Germany on 1 December 2022 at the Al Bayt Stadium when Stephanie Frappart becomes the first woman in the history of the World Cup to referee a finals match in the men’s tournament.
However, it will not be the first time the 38-year-old French referee has written her name into football history. Frappart was also the first woman to referee a Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League game.
“The men’s World Cup is the most important sporting competition in the world. I was the first referee in France and in Europe, so I know how to deal with it,” she said.
Before the World Cup, Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, said of the three female referees at the World Cup: “They were not selected because they are women, but as FIFA referees. They could officiate any game.”