History made as FIFA includes female referees in roster for 2022 World Cup

For the first time in the 92-year history of the FIFA World Cup, female referees will officiate at the 2022 edition of the Mundial in Qatar after the roster of officials for the tournament was released by the governing body.

French referee Stephanie Frappart, Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan were the three women included among the 36 referees for the tournament, with the vastly experienced Frappart the likeliest to get a starring role.

The Qatar World Cup was always going to be a World Cup of firsts. The first time sport’s most-watched event is to be played in the Middle East. The first time it will be played in November and December. And now it may also be the first men’s World Cup to have a game refereed by female referees.

FIFA on Thursday named three more female referees in the group of 69 assistants that will run the line at the monthlong tournament. There are also 24 referees included in the list of Video Officials for the tournament.

Salima Mukansanga makes list of referees for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In January, she also made history at the AFCON as the first female to officiate at the tournament.