History-making Frappart on Women's World Cup referees list

Published Jan. 9, 2023 8:52 a.m. ET

Associated Press

ZURICH (AP) — The six female match officials who worked at the men’s World Cup in Qatar including history maker Stéphanie Frappart were also selected Monday by FIFA for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which will have 13 men in the video review team.

French referee Frappart made World Cup history in December handling Germany’s 4-2 win over Costa Rica in the group stage.

Frappart’s assistants for that game, Karen Diaz of Mexico and Neuza Back of Brazil, also will go on to the women’s tournament being played July 20-Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

Referees Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan and Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda, plus assistant Kathryn Nesbitt of the United States — who worked one of the lines for England’s 3-0 win over Senegal in the round of 16 — are also on FIFA’s list of selected officials.

The 33 referees and 55 assistants are all women though only six women are among the 19 video match officials chosen for the 64-game tournament. The VAR review system made its Women’s World Cup debut at the 2019 tournament in France.

The United States will seek a third straight title in the first 32-team edition of the Women’s World Cup.

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