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Qatar World Cup will see women referees for first time

The opening ceremony saw Saudi's MBS in attendance

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Qatar, on Sunday, opened the Middle East's first FIFA World Cup before global leaders and soccer fans. With American actor Morgan Freeman's dulcet voice and an Arabian theme with camels, the opening ceremony began with a promise of everyone is welcome.

The tournament opened after it was battered by a regional boycott and international criticism. The tournament also saw Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in attendance at the opening ceremony and the inaugural match.

The men's World Cup will see female officials refereeing matches for the first time. Yamashita Yoshimi, Salima Mukansanga and Stephanie Frappart will be among the 36 referees. And Neuza Back, Karen Diaz Medina and Kathryn Nesbitt are among the 69 assistant referees. 

Yamashita Yoshimi: This will be Yoshimi's second World Cup-- she has been a referee for the 2019 Women's World Cup. She was also on the whistle in the 2020 Olympic Games, which was held in 2021-- in a game between the United States and Sweden.

Salima Mukansanga: Rwandan referee Salima Mukansanga, too, has been a referee for the 2019 Women's World Cup. Mukansanga originally wanted to be a basketball player. But, infrastructure for basketball wasn't easily accessible in Rwanda. That's how she ended up refereeing. She also refereed at the 2020 Olympics and the men's Africa Cup of Nations earlier in 2022. 

Stephanie Frappart: Frappart officiated her first finals at the 2019 Women's World Cup in France. Besides being the first woman to referee a Champions League match in 2020, she also officiated the UEFA Super Cup final in 2019. 

Karen Diaz Medina: Medina was certified as a FIFA Assistant Referee in 2018. Since then, she has refereed several games including the Women's U-17 Championship in Managua, Nicaragua, the Scotiabank Concacaf League, and the Men's Under-20 Championship in Bradenton Florida.  

Neuza Back: A Brazilian, Back has so far refereed 146 matches.

Kathryn Nesbitt: Nesbitt has been an assistant referee at the Women's World Cup in 2019. In 2020, she became the first woman to officiate an MLS Cup final. She was a professor of chemistry up until two weeks before the Women's World Cup, which was held in France.

-- With PTI inputs

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