Stéphanie Frappart will become the first woman to referee a major European men’s game when she takes charge of the Uefa Super Cup between Liverpool and Chelsea in Istanbul on 14 August.

The French official will be joined by the two female assistant referees who worked with her in last month’s Women’s World Cup final: compatriot Manuela Nicolosi and Ireland’s Michelle O’Neill.

The 35-year-old became the first woman to referee a Ligue 1 match in April, when she officiated a game between Amiens and Strasbourg, and she has been promoted to an elite pool of referees for French top-flight games for the new season.

But she is not the first woman to be assigned to a competitive men’s match by Uefa, as Switzerland’s Nicole Petignat refereed three Uefa Cup qualifying round games between 2004 and 2009.

In a statement, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said: “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.”



The three women on the pitch at Besiktas Park will be backed by an all-male supporting cast, with Turkey’s Cuneyt Cakir acting as fourth official and Frenchman Clément Turpin leading the VAR unit.



