2022 FIFA WORLD CUP- Women to officiate in Qatar Mukansanga eyes record

–Ikenna Okafor

FIFA, today revealed the list of referees for the quadrennial showpiece being hosted later this year by Qatar.

For the first time ever, Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga will become the first African woman when she joins France’s Stephanie Frappart and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita among the 36 match referees as they write their names in history book.

The trio will become the first women to officiate as refrees in Men’s FIFA World Cup finals.

Also, some women including Brazil’s Neuza Back, Mexico’s Karen Diaz Medina and American Kathryn Nesbitt have been included in the 69 assistant referees

“We are very happy that we have been able to call up female match officials for the first time in the history of a FIFA World Cup,” said FIFA Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina

All match officials for the finals will participate in early summer in seminars in Asuncion, Madrid and Doha. “We can’t eliminate all mistakes, but we will do everything we can to reduce them,” said Massimo Busacca, FIFA’s Director of Refereeing.