Frappart to become first female referee to officiate men's Champions League game

Soccer Football - Europa League - Group G - Leicester City v FC Zorya Luhansk - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - October 22, 2020, Referee Stephanie Frappart during the match. [Reuters, Phil Noble]

France’s Stephanie Frappart will become the first female official to take charge of a men’s Champions League game when Juventus host Dynamo Kyiv on Wednesday.

Frappart, who turns 37 next month, was the first female referee to officiate in a major UEFA competition match when Liverpool played Chelsea in the Super Cup in Istanbul last year.

She also officiated the 2019 Women’s World Cup final between the United States and Netherlands and became the first female referee to take charge of a French Ligue 1 match when Amiens played Strasbourg in April last year.

She oversaw her first Europa League game in October when Leicester City hosted Zorya Luhansk.

French referee Stephanie Frappart (L) speaks with Chelsea's players (R) during the UEFA Super Cup 2019 football match between FC Liverpool and FC Chelsea at Besiktas Park Stadium in Istanbul on August 14, 2019. [Photo by Bulent Kilic, AFP]

Switzerland’s Nicole Petignat was the first female referee to officiate in UEFA matches when she was put in charge of three UEFA Cup qualifying round games between 2004 and 2009.

Juventus, who have already qualified for the last 16, are second in Group G with nine points from four games, eight points clear of Dynamo Kyiv and three behind Barcelona, who face Ferencvaros on Wednesday.