Soccer Daily has revealed shocking news that the Chinese Football Association (CFA) is considering using women referees in men's tournaments, a move that has been met with a lot of difficulty in the Chinese Super League (CSL).
Looking back at the World Cup in Qatar, French referee Stephanie Flapar became the fourth woman ever to referee a men's World Cup match when she made her mark in the opening group stage match. She followed that up by becoming the first female referee to take on the sole responsibility of refereeing Germany's third-round match against Costa Rica.
The person in charge of the referee office of the Football Association revealed the following: "After the World Cup, we have also explored the possibility of introducing female referees in men's matches. However, the introduction of female referees in the Chinese Super League still faces many challenges. Currently, no female referee has passed the physical fitness test for the professional league. There is a significant difference in the pace, intensity and technology between men's and women's soccer. Nonetheless, if a female referee meets the standard in the future, the Chinese Super League will be open to it."
