Qatar World Cup 2022, CRC vs GER: Stephanie Frappart to become first female referee in a men's game
Qatar World Cup 2022: The group stage game between Costa Rica and Germany would witness a change, as Stephanie Frappart would be the on-field referee in the tie, becoming the first female to officiate in a men's WC contest.
FollowThe 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is set to present a monumental change in the sport. Thursday's final Group E match between Costa Rica and Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor will see Stephanie Frappart take up the role of the on-field referee. Consequently, he would become the first woman to officiate in a men's WC game. The clash would be crucial as both teams would be in contention to make it to the pre-quarters. She was one of the female referees alongside Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan in the WC pool of referees back in May. She was also the first female referee to officiate in a men's WC qualifier between Netherlands and Latvia last year in March.
The Frenchwoman has previously officiated in high-octane men's club encounters, including the UEFA Champions League (UCL) 2019 between Chelsea-Liverpool and Juventus-Dynamo Kyiv. On Thursday, she would also be joined by an all-women on-field officials panel, including assistants Neuza Back and Karen Diaz, reports FotMob.
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Talking to The Athletic in May this year, Frappart had said, "The men's World Cup is the most important competition in the world, not only football. But, I was the first female referee in France, the first in Europe, every time the first. I know how to deal with that... You're there because you deserve it."
