These women will make history officiating men's World Cup match
Three referees will make history on the pitch as the first female crew to officiate a men's World Cup match. An American woman who made history earlier at this year's tournament will also be part of the crew.
FIFA announced Stéphanie Frappart, Neuza Back and Karen Diaz will take charge of the pivotal match between Costa Rica and Germany at Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar on Thursday.
Frappart will be the lead official at the match — a historic moment on its own — and is no stranger to the big stage. According to FIFA, the French official was the first woman to referee a Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League game.
"The men's World Cup is the most important sporting competition in the world. I was the first referee in France and in Europe, so I know how to deal with it," she said, according to FIFA.
In a tweet celebrating the announcement, FIFA said it was "history in the making."
Back, of Brazil, and Diaz, of Mexico, will be assistant referees. Male ref Said Martinez, of Honduras, is listed as the fourth official of the match. Katy Nesbitt, of the U.S., will also be part of the crew as the offside video assistant referee.
Earlier in the tournament, Nesbitt became the first American woman to officiate at a men's World Cup — a role she says she spent a lifetime preparing for.
"I can honestly say I am living my dream, and this was the biggest dream come true for me," Nesbitt told CBS News.
"It's such an honor that I get to do this and to represent female referees in this way, and to represent my country," she said.
Rwanda's Salima Mukansanga and Japan's Yoshimi Yamashita were also picked to be among the six women who — for the first time — joined more than 100 male officials at the World Cup.
