Would you love to crush on the most beautiful, and hot female referees in the world of football?
If it’s yes, then you need to be with me throughout this post. In football, the referee enforces the Laws of the Game during a match.
With the authority to make final decisions and impose disciplinary action, the referee is the ultimate authority on all matters related to play.
Assisting the referee are two assistant referees, who guide out-of-view incidents and ball placement.
While the referee’s judgment supersedes that of the assistants, additional officials like the fourth official, assistant referees, and video assistant referees may be present at higher levels of play.
Referees and officials undergo licensing and training, conducted by their respective national organizations. However,
In this post, I will share with you some of the hottest female referees in the world, and you can feel free to crush on them.
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Top 10 Best Beautiful Female Referees In The World
- Stéphanie Frappart
- Bibiana Steinhaus
- Salima Mukansanga
- Esther Staubli
- Kateryna Monzul
- Sonia Denoncourt
- Sian Massey-Ellis
- Pernilla Larsson
- Melissa Borjas
- Claudia Umpiérrez
Let’s meet them.
1. Stéphanie Frappart
Stéphanie Frappart is an innovative French football referee, widely recognized for her officiating skills.
Frappart made her mark when she joined the FIFA International Referees List in 2009, marking the beginning of an illustrious career.
Frappart’s career in refereeing began at a young age when she started officiating youth games at just 13 years old. By the time she turned 18, she was already officiating national U19 games, showing her talent.
Frappart’s rise through the ranks was incredible. In 2011, she began officiating matches in the Championnat National, the third division of men’s football in France.
Three years later, she broke another record by becoming the first woman to referee in Ligue 2, the second tier of professional men’s football in France.
Her impressive performance led to her selection as a referee at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. The year 2019 proved to be a turning point in Frappart’s career.
She was appointed as a referee for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in her home country, France. Frappart’s remarkable journey continued with groundbreaking achievements in major men’s European matches.
Her officiating skills were on display in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, where she became the first woman to officiate in a major men’s European match, overseeing the clash between Liverpool and Chelsea.
Throughout her journey, she has officiated different high-profile matches, breaking barriers.
In 2019, Frappart made history as she became the first woman to referee a major men’s European match and a French Ligue 1 match.
Not stopping there, Frappart continued to push boundaries and made history once again in 2020 when she became the first woman to officiate a UEFA Champions League match.
She keeps recording remarkable feats as she was appointed the first woman to officiate a men’s World Cup qualifying match in 2021.
Her exceptional performances caught the attention of the association of football, leading to her selection as one of the three women referees to officiate at the men’s World Cup in 2022.
In an extraordinary feat, Frappart went on to become the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match as part of an all-female referee team.
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2. Bibiana Steinhaus
Steinhaus’s love for football began as a player for SV Bad Lauterberg before she followed in her father’s footsteps to become a referee.
She obtained DFB certification in 1999 and quickly moved up the ranks, debuting in the Frauen-Bundesliga and eventually officiating the 2003 DFB-Pokal der Frauen Final between 1. FFC Frankfurt and FCR 2001 Duisburg.
Steinhaus became the first female referee in German men’s professional football when she officiated in the men’s 2. Bundesliga in 2007.
She also officiated notable matches like the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, UEFA Women’s Euro 2009, and the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Steinhaus was selected as one of the referees for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where she officiated two group-stage matches and the final between Japan and the United States.
She also proved her skills during the women’s football gold medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Steinhaus’s career took another historic turn when she was appointed as the referee for the 2017 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final between Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain.
Additionally, in 2017, she achieved a milestone by becoming the first female referee in the history of the top-level Bundesliga, officiating matches in the league’s 2017-18 season.
Despite her accomplishments, Steinhaus has faced controversy in her career.
From a physical confrontation with Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola to an unfortunate incident of groping, she has endured challenges.
Steinhaus has also been subjected to sexist comments and discriminatory treatment, with incidents such as a player making a sexist comment resulting in his suspension and a broadcaster canceling a broadcast due to her appointment as head referee.
On September 30, 2020, Steinhaus announced that the DFL-Supercup match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund would mark the end of her refereeing career, adding a beautiful full chapter to her already remarkable career.
3. Salima Mukansanga
Mukansanga’s incredible career has seen her rise to prominence and makes history on multiple occasions.
Since becoming a FIFA-listed international referee in 2012, Mukansanga has been setting and breaking records.
In the early stages of her career, Mukansanga officiated men’s local amateur football matches and women’s national second-division matches in Rwanda.
One of her most notable achievements came in 2019 when she officiated at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. Also, she became the first woman to officiate at the African Cup of Nations in 2022.
Leading an all-woman officiating team, including the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Mukansanga proved her professionalism in the biggest African football competition.
Mukansanga has officiated in tournaments such as the Olympics, FIFA Women’s World Cup, Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, and the CAF Women’s Champions League.
In yet another feat, Mukansanga was selected as one of three women referees to officiate at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
This made her the first female African referee to officiate at the men’s top football event. On November 22, 2022, Mukansanga made history as the fourth official in the match between France and Australia.
With all of this success, she was honored as one of the BBC 100 Women in December 2022.
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4. Esther Staubli
Staubli has established herself as one of the best referees on the FIFA International Referees List since 2006.
Aside from being a referee, she is an accomplished agronomist and university lecturer. In 2015, she was entrusted with the responsibility of refereeing the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final.
Her performance was recognized by the International Federation of Football History, and Statistics (IFFHS), ranking fourth in World’s Best Woman Referee category in 2014, with Bibiana Steinhaus taking the top spot.
In September 2014, she made history by officiating in the men’s Swiss Challenge League, receiving praise for her wow performance from FC Wohlen coach Ciriaco Sforza.
She recorded another achievement in 2017 when she became the first woman to officiate in a Men’s U-17 World Cup match.
Her selection as a referee for the group-stage encounter between Japan and New Caledonia at the 2017 U-17 World Cup in India was proof of her capabilities.
Staubli’s impressive career continued as she was appointed as a referee for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
5. Kateryna Monzul
Kateryna Monzul is not just one of the best referees in the world, she holds a degree in architecture and town planning from the Kharkiv National Academy of Urban Economy.
Her career journey as an international referee began in September 2005 when she officiated her first international match in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers between Finland and Poland.
She rose through the ranks and found herself as a fourth official at the 2011 World Cup.
Monzul’s breakthrough came at the 2013 UEFA Women’s Euro, where she conducted the semifinal between Norway and Denmark.
This marked her first major tournament appearance in the final stages, a major milestone in her career.
The following year, she was honored with the opportunity to referee the 2014 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final.
In 2014, Monzul’s outstanding performances earned her second place in the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) World’s Best Woman Referee poll, an impressive accolade surpassed only by Bibiana Steinhaus.
However, her most notable achievement was at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
She made her debut in the competition as a main referee, guiding the opening match, which saw a controversial injury-time penalty kick awarded to the host nation Canada, resulting in a 1-0 victory over China.
Also, she officiated the final between the United States and Japan, proving her experience on the biggest stage in women’s football.
These accomplishments led to her recognition as the IFFHS World’s Best Woman Referee in 2015.
Additionally, Monzul became the first female referee in the Ukrainian Premier League when she officiated a match between Chornomorets Odesa and Volyn Lutsk on April 3, 2016.
Her excellence as a referee was acknowledged when she was selected as an official for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 in the Netherlands.
She was even appointed as a referee for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. After impressing during the round of 16, she was among the 11 referees selected to officiate the final eight matches of the tournament.
Monzul continued to make history in November 2020 when she led an all-female refereeing team in officiating the UEFA Nations League match between San Marino and Gibraltar.
In February 2022, Monzul was forced to flee her home country of Ukraine following the Russian invasion, highlighting the personal sacrifices she has made in pursuit of her passion for football refereeing.
On July 31, 2022, Monzul recorded another milestone in her career as she officiated the Women’s Euro final at Wembley Stadium.
The electrifying match saw England emerge victorious, defeating Germany 2-1 after extra time.
6. Sonia Denoncourt
Though Sonia Denoncourt has retired, she’s still regarded as one of the best female referees in the world. With an incredible career that lasted for several decades, Denoncourt earned respect for her amazing achievements.
Denoncourt developed a passion for football from a young age.
She attended Mitchell & Montcalm High School before pursuing higher education at the Université de Sherbrooke, where she obtained a degree in physical education.
Denoncourt later grew her knowledge, earning a master’s degree in Sports Administration from the University of Ottawa.
However, her career as a referee commenced in 1978 when she was just 14 years old. Her talent was recognized when she became the first female FIFA-accredited referee in 1994.
She has shown what she has got in tournaments like the FIFA Women’s World Cups in 1995, 1999, and 2003, where she officiated numerous super matches.
Her achievements at the 1996 Summer Olympics when women’s football made its Olympic debut were super amazing.
Denoncourt was selected as one of the four female referees for the tournament, and she officiated the historic first women’s football match in the Olympics between Germany and Japan.
In February 1997, Denoncourt broke another record when she became the first female referee to officiate a professional men’s match in Brazil.
She took charge of the opening fixture of the Campeonato Paulista between São José Esporte Clube and Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras.
Despite facing criticism for her performance in this historic match, Denoncourt’s achievement shows her courage in the face of adversity.
Her strength as a referee earned her the honor of participating in the 2000 Olympic football tournaments.
She officiated two group matches, Australia versus Sweden and Norway versus China, and was selected to referee the women’s football final between Norway and the United States.
After retiring from refereeing on July 6, 2004, she moved to a new role in football. In October 2005, FIFA appointed her as the head of women’s referee development.
Denoncourt’s contributions were seen as she was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005, honoring her legacy and influence in the sport.
7. Sian Massey-Ellis
Sian Massey-Ellis MBE, formerly known as Sian Louise Massey, has emerged as one of the most prominent and respected football officials in England.
With a career that crosses both domestic and international competitions, Massey-Ellis has made a lasting impact on the game.
Massey-Ellis has made a name for herself as an assistant referee in the Premier League, the Football League, and various prestigious tournaments.
Her career as a match official began when she was appointed as the fourth official for the FA Women’s Cup final in May 2009.
The match, which featured two injury-time goals and a 2-1 victory for Arsenal over Sunderland, marked the beginning of Massey-Ellis’ career.
In the 2009-10 season, she was the fourth official in five matches and the assistant referee in 11 matches.
Her first appointment as an assistant referee came on August 29, 2009, in a thrilling 2-2 draw between Hereford United and Port Vale.
She was asked to conduct the FA Women’s Premier League Cup final in February 2010.
The match between Leeds Carnegie and Everton at Rochdale’s Spotland Stadium witnessed Massey-Ellis making key decisions, including disallowing a goal for Leeds and dismissing Everton’s appeal for a penalty kick.
Leeds emerged victorious with a 3-1 win, securing the cup for the first time since its inception in the 1991-92 season. March 2010 was beautiful for Massey-Ellis when she joined the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOB).
This move allowed her to officiate matches in the highest level of professional football in England, the Premier League.
Her first Premier League appointment came on December 28, 2010, as an assistant referee in Blackpool’s 2-0 victory over Sunderland.
However, Massey-Ellis faced challenges in her career when she became embroiled in a sexism controversy in January 2011.
Remarks made by staff at the Premier League broadcaster Sky Sports sparked a public outcry, leading to the dismissal of commentator Andy Gray and presenter Richard Keys.
On the international stage, Massey-Ellis has made contributions to women’s football.
Her involvement in major tournaments includes being an assistant referee in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 in the Netherlands, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
She has also officiated in FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification rounds and the UEFA Europa League.
8. Pernilla Larsson
Pernilla Larsson has announced herself as one of the best female referees in football.
Larsson was recognized on a global scale when she was selected by FIFA to officiate in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In 2014, Larsson’s talent was appreciated by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), where she secured the ninth position in the World’s Best Woman Referee poll.
Although Bibiana Steinhaus claimed the top spot, Larsson’s inclusion in the list was a sign of her abilities. She was named the Swedish female Referee of the Year at Fotbollsgalan in 2014.
9. Melissa Borjas
In 2015, Borjas set a record, becoming the first Honduran woman to officiate a match in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Her presence on the field during the encounter between Japan and Ecuador not only showed her capabilities but also paved the way for future generations of female referees in Honduras.
Borjas made it as the first female referee to officiate a match in the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras, the top-tier men’s football league in the country.
She becomes the first female official to officiate a final match in the league after refereeing the first leg of the 2019 spring final between Olimpia and Motagua
The year 2019 marked another great achievement for Borjas when she was appointed as a referee for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
Her performance in the tournament earned her recognition from FIFA, as she was selected as one of the 11 referees entrusted with officiating the final eight matches of the competition.
However, In the 2020 Olympic Games, she made headlines for disallowing a goal from Australian superstar Sam Kerr, a decision that ultimately eliminated Australia from gold and silver medal contention.
This incident, famously referred to as the Matildas’ “invisible foul,” sparked debates and discussions surrounding referee decisions and their impact on crucial matches.
10. Claudia Umpiérrez
Claudia Inés Umpiérrez Rodríguez is a renowned Uruguayan association football referee and lawyer. Umpiérrez’s passion for football began at a young age while playing in her hometown, Pan de Azúcar.
Coming from a football-oriented family, with her father as a coach and her uncle as a professional player, her love for the sport grew naturally.
However, it wasn’t until she turned 18 and moved to Montevideo to pursue her law studies that she seized the opportunity to enroll in the referee school.
With support from her family, Umpiérrez completed the referee course in 2004 while simultaneously studying law.
Her dedication paid off, and in 2009, she achieved international recognition as a FIFA international referee, making her debut in the South American U-17 Women’s Championship in 2010.
She established herself as a competent and skilled referee, earning honors for her performances.
Her notable achievements include being selected as a referee for the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan, where she officiated several matches, including a semifinal.
She was even chosen as a referee for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.
The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) acknowledged Umpiérrez’s outstanding abilities, ranking her among the world’s best referees in 2015 and 2016.
Her inclusion in the top 10 and top 11, respectively, reflected her remarkable contributions to the field.
Umpiérrez set a new record in Uruguayan football, becoming the first woman to officiate a match in the country’s First Division on September 4, 2016.
She was also selected as one of the referees for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Notably, she had the honor of refereeing the opening match of the tournament.
Following the round of 16, Umpiérrez was chosen as one of the 11 officials charged with officiating the remaining matches of the tournament.
Conclusion
So, Buddy, I have shared with you some of the best female football referees in the world. And the best part is,
These ladies are the most beautiful and hottest female referees in football. I hope I get you your speck.