Stephanie Frappart of France will make history as the first woman to referee a men's FIFA World Cup match. She is scheduled to officiate the Group E clash between Germany and Costa Rica, leading an all-female officiating team. This milestone highlights growing inclusion of women in football refereeing.
Stephanie Frappart, a 38-year-old referee from France, is poised to break new ground in the FIFA World Cup by taking charge of the Germany versus Costa Rica match in Group E. This will mark the first time a woman has refereed a men's World Cup game and the first occasion an entire officiating team—consisting of Frappart as the central referee, along with assistants Neuza Back from Brazil and Karen Diaz Medina from Mexico—will be all-female.
The appointment comes amid gradual progress in women's involvement in football officiating. Over the past 25 years, changes have accelerated since the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, which featured 31 female referees, and the 2000 Summer Olympics, where women handled all women's matches. Female referees have since gained prominence in major men's leagues, including England's Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga, and France's Ligue 1, earning acclaim for their competence and composure under pressure.
Frappart has been a pioneer in this shift. She officiated the women's World Cup final last year and achieved several breakthroughs: becoming the first woman to referee a men's UEFA Champions League match between Juventus and Dynamo Kyiv in 2020, the first to handle a men's World Cup qualifier, and serving as a fourth official in the 2022 World Cup game between Mexico and Poland—the debut of a female referee at the tournament.
This development underscores FIFA's commitment to gender inclusion in football, addressing past perceptions that women could not manage the sport's intensity. By featuring women in the World Cup, the governing body aims to inspire broader participation and empowerment, ensuring the sport represents all of society.
