Officials come under the spotlight whenever they step onto the pitch – never more so than at major tournaments. But are there female referees at Euro 2024?
Marta Huerta De Aza looks on during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 qualifying match(Image credit: Getty Images)
As you might expect with a major tournament, referees at Euro 2024 have come under close scrutiny. From familiar faces – Michael Oliver, we’re looking at you – to the one who might, maybe, have covered a Conference League game you sat through two years ago, the figures in black/luminous orange/blue become almost as prominent as the players.
This year’s tournament has already created a series of officiating debates, including Ralf Rangnick’s disappointment with Jesús Gil Manzano and the benefits of semi-automated offsides.
Fans of the Premier League will recognise Oliver and Anthony Taylor, while Stuart Attwell and David Coote are in place as video assistant referees.
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What female referees are at Euro 2024?
No women have been selected as referees or assistant officials for the 2024 European Championships.
Rebecca Welch made history when she became the first woman to officiate a Premier League fixture last December, overseeing Fulham v Burnley.
Another trailblazer, Stephanie Frappart, is the first woman to referee a Ligue 1 and Champions League game. She made headlines at the 2022 World Cup as the first woman in history to referee a men’s finals match, taking charge of Costa Rica v Germany.
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Referee Stephanie Frappart looks on during the UEFA Women's Champions League 2023/24 semi-final Leg One match between FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC (Image credit: Getty Images)
She wasn’t alone. Yamashita Yoshimi and Salima Mukansanga were also among the 36 referees selected for 2022 World Cup, with Neuza Back, Karen Diaz Medina and Kathryn Nesbitt chosen as three of 69 assistant referees.
But while both Welch and Frappart are both long experienced in the men’s game, neither were selected for the 19-strong team in Germany.
The decision has gone largely unreported, but leaves the Euros lagging behind other competitions, with no chance to make refereeing history now until 2028.
