The upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup match in Qatar between Germany and Costa Rica is expected to go down in history as the first-ever men’s World Cup game overseen by a female referee.
The Group E match is scheduled to take place on December 1, with the referee in question being Stephanie Frappart, who previously refereed men’s football games in the Champions League and Ligue 1.
During the game, Frappart is going to be leading an all-female referee team comprised of assistant referees Neuza Back and Karen Diaz Medina.
Speaking ahead of the match, German national football team manager Hans-Dieter Flick said he has “100 percent trust in the referee”.
“She deserves it because of her performances,” he said as quoted by media. “I hope she’s looking forward to the game as much as we are. We all hope we’ll see a good performance tomorrow.”