Change and acceptance need consistency. A longread, not only about female referees at the 2022 World Cup.

In football, it is a hedge that has often been divided and then overgrown again – and not just for a few years, but for almost a century.

Yes, there have been women in men’s football for almost 100 years, and that on the field as match officials – female referees and assistant referees. At first only a few, but for a good 30 years now and then in the highest level of men’s football – be it in a country’s top league or in international football.

Now they were in the highest place: the men’s football World Cup. Stéphanie Frappart from France was the first female referee (1 December 2022). US-American and assistant referee Kathryn Nesbitt was the first woman to officiate at the final of a men’s World Cup (as a reserve assistant referee) (18 December 2022).

Incidentally, in the qualifying matches for this World Cup, it was Stéphanie Frappart and Karen Díaz Medina, among others, who made history: While Frappart was the very first female referee to be nominated for a WC qualifier on 27 March 2021, it was the two Mexicans Karen Díaz Medina and Francia González who were appointed as assistant referees and as the very first women ever for (two different) matches as early as 24 March 2021.

Over the Hedge

Female referees at a World Cup for the first time. Was that the breakthrough?

No one can answer that yet, because what is important is: the consistency with which women step out through the hedge. They take the first steps – stepping into the hedge are very tough steps. But once the ground is made, the next women can move on. They can literally follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and go ahead, opening the way further for their successors.

But that is exactly what has been happening over the last 30 years, even at the highest level – and yet far too rarely: There are too many mayflies, too many fig leaves. And by the time the next woman is nominated, the hedge and the foot stamps are already somewhat overgrown.

The system feeds itself

That’s why women have been making history time and again for 30 years and why it’s still an anomaly to see a woman in men’s football.

I can only repeat myself: I would love it if this history-making would finally become history. If I wasn’t felt to be the only person who writes the names and their achievements over and over again on the internet so that the information can be found.

But I fear it will go on for some time. Football, no, men’s football is a conservative sport. It feeds nostalgia. On the one hand, it is very wholesome to remember the time of one’s own football socialisation (You know, back then! When „football“ wasn’t as bad as it is today! – No way, I’m sorry). But it also prevents from keeping up with the times.

The female referees at the 2022 World Cup

Neuza Back, Karen Díaz Medina, Stéphanie Frappart, Salima Mukansanga, Kathryn Nesbitt and Yoshimi Yamashita

In the run-up to the World Cup, I published articles, namely a general look at the six women in German as part of the FRUEF column at WebDE and in English and a bit more in-depth with education and motivation at Law5 – The Ref. The latter was a misstep, as the unfortunately completely unmoderated comments below the post just leave me shaking my head. Content Warning for the comments column there: Mensplaining, at times misogyny. A bit of everyday life, unfortunately, but with many helpful messages from people who have read the comments in disgust.

Law5 – The Ref also published my exclusive interview with female referee Salima Mukansanga in another article. Unfortunately, the response from the female referee for publication in the DFB referee newspaper only came after the editorial deadline.

First of all: I can’t say anything about the games and the match management. Not only because I am not a female referee, but because I deliberately decided not to watch any game of this competition.

On Twitter, Mastodon and LinkedIn, I pointed out the appointments of the female referees at the World Cup on the respective days. You don’t have to read them there, because I post the information from my database here in compact form.

Neuza Back

Karen Díaz Medina

Stéphanie Frappart

Salima Mukansanga

Kathryn Nesbitt

Yoshimi Yamashita

First female referees at Men’s World Cup – Some statistics

The following two charts show the appointments of the six female referees at the 2022 World Cup:

• Stéphanie Frappart was appointed as a one-time referee. She probably should have been appointed again in the knockout matches, but this was not implemented due to France’s successful progress.
• All three assistant referees were appointed once each on the sidelines.
• The three female referees were appointed as 4th officials a total of ten times during the group stage of the World Cup, of which Yoshimi Yamashita alone was appointed six times.
• The three assistant referees were more frequently appointed as reserve assistant referees or in the Video Assistant Centre (VAC) as Offside VAR or Supportive AVAR.

Appointments in the group and knockout stages

In 48 matches in the group phase there was:

• 1x one female referee
• 2x one assistant referee
• 10x a fourth official
• 10x one reserve assistant
• 6x an Offside VAR and
• 1x a supportive AVAR

In 16 matches of the knockout phase there were:

• 1x an Assistant Referee
• 2x a reserve assistant and
• 5x one Offside VAR

Appointments per match official

• Stéphanie Frappart: 3, all in the group stage
• Salima Mukansanga 2, all in the group phase
• Yoshimi Yamashita: 6, all in the group stage
• Kathryn Nesbitt: 11, of which 7 in the group stage
• Neuza Back: 11, 7 of them in the group stage
• Karen Díaz Medina: 5, all in group stage

Assignment highlights

• Yamashita was appointed as a fourth official six times – 100% of her appearances
• Nesbitt was appointed as an offside VAR seven times in the VAC – ~64% of her appearances
• Back was appointed five times as a reserve assistant (~45% of her appearances) and four times in the VAC as an offside VAR (~36% of her appearances)

Support instead of Worries

The German newspaper AZ Online published an article titled „Why the call-up of Stéphanie Frappart in the Germany match was irresponsible„. Contrary to my fears, it was not a misogynistic bashing of Frappart’s performance in the match between Costa Rica and Germany, which would also have been completely unnecessary.

Instead, it is a certain kind of worrying for Frappart: What was Collina thinking when he put a woman on for the first time in such a decisive match? He was playing with fire, the author writes, because how big would the outcry have been if she had made mistakes – then Collina would have done a disservice to the critics of women in men’s football.

As well-meaning as the intention of the article is: there is no need for such great worrying care. I am not writing this because it is always easier to judge in hindsight and Frappart’s performance was remarkably experienced and confident. No, her performance was experienced and confident because she is. And it wouldn’t have mattered at all whether the first game with a female referee was a contested one or not.

There is no need to worry about, but to support women in football. Even, and especially, when things don’t go optimally.

And that did not only apply to the female referees at the World Cup.

When it comes to diversity in football, the nagging often follows that it should be about competence instead of quotas.

But some men overlook the fact that without competence, women would not have made it as far as they have. And she has not only already demonstrated competence, but also the strength and the will to put up with his misogynistic wind.

You want even better competence? Very much so. Then do something to ensure that the same working conditions prevail for all genders and that women get the chance to develop just as much as men. So that there is any comparability at all.

The lion has a good laugh at the mouse, but he should not underestimate her special abilities. But it wouldn’t be the first time I think of the history of women in football 50 years ago. History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme from time to time.

Female referees at the World Cup: the beginning of the beginning?

History was made and I am still very happy that there was a game with an all-female team. The picture is now out in the world. It happened. And Frappart’s jersey is coming to Zurich to the FIFA Museum.

It’s just a pity that it was a one-off and happened so little visibly. By that I mean: women as part of the referee team running onto the field and caught on camera.

It was great to have a woman, Kathryn Nesbitt, at the World Cup final outside the VAC, but a shame she was only a reserve assistant.

Again, it has something of „It’s well meant, but…“ really well done too? And I’m not sure myself whether to be hopeful or disappointed.

As I wrote above: the next FIFA competitions will show how seriously Pierluigi Collina meant his words about female referees at a World Cup.

„I would hope that in the future, the selection of elite women’s match officials for important men’s competitions will be preceived as something normal and no longer as sensational.“

La prendo in parola, Signore Collina, I take you at your word.