What are the female referee milestones? That is the subject of this article.
Miss Colomba from Brazil is considered to be the first female referee in the world to officiate both men’s and women’s matches. Read more about her.
They were followed by:
- 1935: Edith Klinger
She was active from 1935 to 1938 – also as founder of the 1. Damen-Fußball-Club Kolossal in Wien. (More about Edith Klinger at Ballesterer and Playing Pasts, including literature note.)
- 1967: Asaléa „Léa“ de Campos Fornero Medina (*1944 oder 1945), Brazil
- 1968: Drahşan Arda (*1940er), Turkey
- 1969: Sabine Asgodom (*1953), Germany
- 1970: Gloria Ramírez (*1953), Guatemala
- 1975: Munira Ramadan (*??)
- 1976: Wendy Toms (*1962), England
- 1978: Sonia Denoncourt (*1964), Canada
- 1978: Ghislaine Peron-Labbé (*1961), France
There are certainly still many female referees missing here. To complete the female referee milestones, I am grateful for supplements of female referees who completed their training in the 1960s and 1970s or even before.
It is constantly updated – current status: December 1, 2022. Additions are always welcome per e-mail.
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In men’s football
Not every one of them, however, was appointed to men’s football. And in top men’s football, only Ghislaine Peron-Labbé, Wendy Toms and Munira Ramadan were appointed. At that time, as is well known, there were even more misjudgements by men than today about what women could achieve and improve in the sport.
For the sake of clarity, the following overview is limited only to women referees officiating in men’s continental football competitions and the national 1st leagues.
This overview is regularly supplemented and updated. The status here is therefore not set in stone, but reflects my current state of research. I therefore recommend not to use the form „The first female referee was …“ but „The first female referee known so far was …“.
Dates from Tonga are missing. Since women’s football is not of a high standard there, it has been taken for granted for many years that referees of any gender officiate matches in men’s football. It is possible that many a milestone from Tonga is still missing from the overview.
Female referee milestones – The history and development of female referees in men’s football
1997
August 27, 1997 – Wendy Toms, England
First female match official and assistant referee in a men’s 1st division in the world – and in a UEFA men’s 1st division, namely the Premier League.
1998
August 29, 1998 – Sandra Hunt und Nancy Lay, USA
First female referee in a men’s 1st division in the world and CONCACAF, namely MLS.
1999
June 5, 1999 – Nelly Viennot, France
First female match official and assistant referee in a UEFA men’s continental league tournament, namely the UEFA European Championship Qualification.
May 30, 1999 – Nicole Petignat, Switzerland
First female referee in a UEFA men’s 1st division, namely the Swiss Super League.
2000
August 24, 2000 – Nelly Viennot, France
First female match official and assistant referee in a UEFA continental men’s club tournament, namely the UEFA Cup Qualification (UEFA Europa League).
2003
June 23, 2003 – Silvia Regina de Oliveira & Ana Paula Oliveira & Aline Lopes Lambert, Brazil
First female match officials in Brazil and CONMEBOL, also the first match in the world in a men’s 1st division to be officiated by three women, in Serie A.
October 1, 2003 – Silvia Regina de Oliveira, Brasilien
First female match official in a club competition in CONMEBOL men’s football, namely the Copa Sudamericana.
2004
(unknown date) 2004 – Bola Abidoye, Nigeria
First female referee in a men’s 1st division in CAF, namely the Nigeria Professional Football League.
2007
October 14, 2007 – Sarah Ho, Australia
First female assistant referee in a men’s 1st division in AFC, namely the A League.
2014
August 3, 2014 – Maria Rebello, India
Fist female referee in a men’s 1st Division in AFC, namely the I League.
2019
May 14, 2019 – Yoshimi Yamashita & Naomi Teshirogi & Makoto Bozono, Japan
First female referee and assistant referees in a continental men’s football club competition in AFC, namely the AFC Cup.
September 2, 2019 – Ilisapeti Malekamu, Tonga
First female referee in a continental men’s football international competition in OFC, namely the OFC Confed Cup.
November 13, 2019 – Lidwine Pelagie Rakotozafinoro, Madagascar
First female assistant referee in a continental men’s football international competition in CAF, namely the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification.
2020
September 6, 2020 – Stéphanie Frappart, France
First female referee in a continental men’s football international competition in UEFA, namely the Nations League.
2021
January 23, 2021 – Lidya Tafesse Abebe, Ethiopia
First female referee in a continental men’s football international competition in CAF, namely the African Nations Championship.
February 7, 2021 – Edina Battista Alves, Brazil & Mariana de Almeida, Argentinia & Neuza Back, Brazil
First female referee and assistant referees in men’s football club competition in FIFA, namely the Club World Cup.
March 24, 2021 – Karen Díaz Medina & Francia González, Mexico
First female match officials and assistant referees in men’s football FIFA competition, namely the World Cup Qualification.
March 27, 2021 – Stéphanie Frappart, France
First female referee in men’s football FIFA competition, namely the World Cup Qualification.
April 10, 2021 – Akhona Makalima, South Africa
First female match official in a continental men’s football club competition in CAF, namely the Champions League.
May 19, 2021 –
1) Tori Penso, USA & Stephanie-Dale Yee Sing, Jamaica & Karen Diaz, Mexico & Francia Gonzalez, Mexiko
First female match officials in a continental men’s football club competition in CONCACAF, namely the 2021 Flow ConcacafCaribbean Club Championship
2) Tori Penso, USA
First female referee in a continental men’s football club competition in CONCACAF, namely the 2021 Flow ConcacafCaribbean Club Championship
June 11, 2021 – Stéphanie Frappart, France
First female match official (4th official) in a continental men’s international competition in UEFA, namely the European Championship.
2022
November 22, 2022 – Stéphanie Frappart
First female assistant referee (Here: 4th official) in a men’s international competition in FIFA, namely the World Cup.
December 1, 2022 – Stéphanie Frappart
First female referee in a men’s international competition in FIFA, namely the World Cup.
2024
January 22, 2024 – Yoshimi Yamashita & Naomi Teshirogi & Makoto Bozono, Japan
First female referee and assistant referees in a continental men’s international competition in AFC, namely the AFC Cup.
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