Frappart also was the first woman to referee a game in France’s Ligue 1 and for UEFA in the men’s Champions League. | Photo Credit: AP

The first woman to referee a men’s FIFA World Cup game, Stéphanie Frappart, is joining the staff of UEFA.

Frappart is taking a full-time job as a UEFA refereeing officer working to train match officials and help appoint them to games in European competitions. She will replace Czech former top referee Dagmar Damková, UEFA said on Thursday.

The 42-year-old French referee has been a trailblazer for women match officials in men’s soccer.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Frappart handled Germany’s 4-2 win against Costa Rica in the group stage.

Later Thursday, Tori Penso of the United States will referee her second game at this men’s World Cup when Germany plays Ecuador. She also worked South Africa’s 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic last week.

Frappart also was the first woman to referee a game in France’s Ligue 1 and for UEFA in the men’s Champions League.

In women’s football, she refereed the finals of the 2019 World Cup and 2025 European Championship.

Published on Jun 25, 2026