Saudi Arabia gets first female international football referee

Jedda: Anoud al-Asmari, Saudi Arabia’s first female international referee has been appointed by FIFA on Thursday, less than a year after the conservative kingdom’s national women’s team made its debut. 

The first Saudi women’s national team, coached by German veteran Monica Stapp, beat the Seychelles 2-0 in its maiden official match last February. 

The Kingdom has the Kingdom submitted its bid to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 and is the sole bidder for the men’s version in 2027. 

It is also considering a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece. 

This comes the same week as Portuguese footballer and five-time Ballon D’or winner Cristiano Ronaldo touched down in Saudi Arabia after his historic signing with the Al Nassr Football Club. 

Saudi Arabia’s move to bid for the women-only event exemplifies the nation’s efforts to unlock untapped potential and opportunities for women and girls across Asia. 

The women’s team was officially established in 2019 by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, which hosts 450 registered players, 49 qualified referees and more than 900 coaches.