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Stephanie Frappart is set to become the first woman to officiate in a men's FIFA World Cup match when Germany and Costa Rica clash on December 1. Brazilian referee Neuza Back and Mexican referee Karen Diaz Medina will work with Frappart, making them the first all-female officiating team at a men's World Cup. Frappart notably aided the officiating as the fourth referee in Mexico's clash against Poland last week.
USA's Kathryn Nesbitt will be an assistant to the French referee as the Germans look to secure qualification to the knockout stages.
Speaking ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Frappart said (via Eurosport):
"We know the pressure. But I think we will not change ourselves. Be calm, focused, concentrate, and don't think too much about the media and everything, just be focused on the field."
Hinting at Qatar's infamous cultural differences, she also stated:
"It’s a strong sign from FIFA and the authorities to have women referees in that country."
The high-tech FIFA World Cup balls include sensors and require charging
According to British news outlet The Daily Mail, the official FIFA World Cup ball goes beyond a mere marvel of sports engineering. It has sensors and a rechargeable tracker. The Daily Mail referenced a Reddit post in which the 'Al Rihal' ball was seen in photos getting charged like a smartphone.
Inquiries revealed that the balls have a rechargeable sensor that helps track the ball and gather data like its speed and position in real-time. The sensor that requires charging weighs a mere 14 grams and can reportedly last for six hours of active use and 18 days without use. This little sensor allows the referee to make calls on offsides and other knife-edge decisions.
Details of the inner workings of the ball are, however, likely to fall on mixed ears, with fans questioning several VAR decisions made in World Cup games. Most notably, fans were not happy with an offside call made in the tournament opener between hosts Qatar and south American side Ecuador.
Fans might have to prepare for the new reality of rechargeable balls.
