Stephanie Frappart will be first female referee to officiate UEFA Super Cup final

Nyon: France's Stephanie Frappart will become the first female referee to officiate a men's UEFA final match between Liverpool and Chelsea, later this month.

This will be the first time that a female official takes charge of a major UEFA men's competition event - a showpiece match seen as the curtain-raiser to the new season, pitting the UEFA Champions League holders Liverpool against the winners of the UEFA Europa League, Chelsea, at Besiktas Park in Istanbul.

The 35-year-old created history domestically in France in April as she became the first female referee to officiate a men's Ligue 1 match, between Amiens and Strasbourg. The Val-d'Oise native has now been promoted to join the pool of Ligue 1 referees on a permanent basis for the 2019-20 season.

In July, Frappart had the honour of refereeing the FIFA Women's World Cup final between the United States and the Netherlands in Lyon.

She also took charge of the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 semi-final, where the Dutch hosts played England and refereed the final of the 2012 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship, also in Turkey.

"As an organisation, we place the utmost importance on the development of women's football in all areas. I hope the skill and devotion that Stephanie has shown throughout her career to reach this level will provide inspiration to millions of girls and women around Europe and show them there should be no barriers in order to reach one's dream," UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said.

UEFA chief refereeing officer Roberto Rosetti hailed Frappart's ability as an official and said she is one of the best female referees across the world.
"Stephanie has proved over a number of years that she is one of the best female referees, not just in Europe but across the world," Rosetti said.

"She has the ability to officiate on the biggest stage, as she proved at this year's Women's World Cup final. I hope this match in Istanbul will provide her with yet more experience as she enters the prime of her refereeing career," he added.
As in the Women's World Cup final, Frappart will be assisted by compatriot Manuela Nicolosi and Michelle O'Neill from the Republic of Ireland. The fourth official will be Turkey's Cuneyt Cakir.

The 35-year-old Frappart is not the first female referee assigned to a men's UEFA competition match. That honour went to Nicole Petignat, who refereed three UEFA Cup qualifying round games between 2004 and 2009.

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be used in Istanbul. The VAR official will be Clement Turpin from France, and he will be aided by fellow countryman Francois Letexier, Mark Borsch of Germany and Italy's Massimiliano Irrati.

Liverpool will face Chelsea in the final of the UEFA Super Cup at Istanbul on August 14.