With the French referee Stéphanie Frappart (38), there will be a historic moment in men’s football in the game between Germany and Costa Rica on Thursday: Frappart is the first referee in the history of the World Cup to officiate the game of a men’s team.
Referee boss Pierluigi Collina (62) described the nomination of three referees for the World Cup in Qatar as “proof that quality counts and not gender”. However, one could also say that the fact that it took so long is proof to the contrary. And that up until the halfway point in the tournament, none of the three nominated female referees were used, but some men did twice, as well.
In any case, Frappart is not lacking in quality or experience, as her CV shows. The Frenchwoman has been in the second division since July 2014 and in the first division since 2019. In total, she has already officiated 235 games. She works full-time in the French Workers’ Sports Federation.
As a midfielder, Frappart was already on the field at the age of ten and showed great interest in the rules of the sport. When she came of age she focused exclusively on her career as a referee. The rise came quickly. At the age of 19 she was also used for men and worked her way up from the seventh division – to the UEFA Supercup 2019, the Champions League 2020, the World Cup qualifier 2021 and now the World Cup.
For Frappart, women’s and men’s football are the same – the same ball, the same rules, as she explained in 2019 before her first Supercup appearance (Liverpool vs. Chelsea). When asked if she felt ready, she replied almost angrily: “Of course. We train all the time. We’re not afraid, we’re always ready,” she quoted “kicker.de” at the time.
Something has changed in her private life since then: “I’m better known now.” That should increase with the first World Cup game under female direction. However, her continuous rise would have “prepared her for the emotions”, as she said in 2019.
The fact that the controversial World Cup in Qatar is the first where a woman will call the shots is ironic, maybe a little calculated by Fifa, but above all it is overdue. And maybe also a step towards more respect on the pitch. At least that’s what ex-national player Michael Ballack (46) hopes for on “Magenta TV”: “This physicality, this build-up in front of the referee to influence him – maybe you’re more polite to a woman.”
National coach Hansi Flick (57) is also enthusiastic. In the DFB press conference one day before the historic game, he said about Frappart: “I have 100 percent confidence in that. We’re looking forward to her and I hope she’s looking forward to us too.”
