Women Referees: The 33rd Team of the Women’s World Cup

New Zealand and Australia will host 32 different countries over the next month for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

One team that is guaranteed to be on the pitch for every single match is the referees. All 88 refs for the World Cup are women. Thirty Three head referees and 55 assistant refs. With the six female video match officials to aid in matches. All of the refs comes from across the globe.

The wait is now over for fans, players, and referees. Playing and watching the World Cup is an opportunity every soccer enjoyer can not wait for. Refereeing brings those same feelings of excitement.

Former International Pro soccer player and current Welsh referee Cheryl Welsh states “It’s the biggest thing that will ever happen to me… very excited, very happy to be here and I can’t wait to get going,” in a video provided by Reuters.

Players and coaches get the chance to represent the country they are playing for. They play for their homeland and get the opportunity to represent the women from their nation. What the refs get to do is represent all women and show a different way they can fit in the world of sports.

“It’s so important… I believe in the saying if you can’t see it you can’t be it….I hope they will be inspired to dream big and to hopefully be at the World Cup one day themselves,” Australian referee Casey Reibelt.

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A post shared by Casey Reibelt (@caseyreibelt)

The referees similarly to the players must come in tip-top shape. Mental and physical endurance is required. The pitch can have up to 22 different players at one time (11 per team). With only three referees left to watch both teams and cover over 100 yards of grass. The main referee is assisted by their two assistant refs or also known as linesmen. It is up to these three to enforce all rules and make the decisions for the games.

“We have to be physically prepared because the rules of the game are the same…. Whether it’s men’s or women’s football…. The difference is the speed of field they work in because as we often say, what a man can do a woman can do better if she works hard, if she makes the effort,” Cameroonian assistant referee Carnie Atezambong

The sports world has been a space dominated by men and fueled by toxic masculinity. Recently there has been a slight improvement in soccer. As Stephanie Frappart, Neuza Back, and Karen Diaz became the first all-female referee team to officiate a game at the World Cup in 2022 when Costa Rica took on Costa Rica. Work still needs to be done and this generation of referees can be the ones to help.

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A post shared by Neuza Back (@neuzaback)

“In my opinion, we need to have people that we can look up to and follow to understand that it doesn’t matter what your race, color, or gender is- you can achieve what you want… women when we achieve our objectives, it’s important that young girls can see that they indeed achieve what they want to,” Neuza Back Brazilian assistant referee.

All quotes are from Reuters