Female ref calls the shots in Europe

Nicole Petignat has been a referee for 21 years Keystone Archive

Switzerland’s Nicole Petignat is set to become the first woman to referee a European cup tie on August 14.

Uefa, football’s governing body in Europe, has picked her to oversee the match between Swedish side AIK Solna and Iceland’s Fylkir.

Petignat, a 36-year-old from canton Jura, has refereed football games for the past 21 years. Back in 1999, she was the first woman ever to oversee a game in Switzerland’s top division.

Four years ago, she also refereed the final of the women’s World Cup in the United States in front of 80,000 spectators.

This time, Uefa officials have chosen her to take charge of a preliminary round match of the Uefa Cup, the second-biggest continental club competition after the Champions League.

“It’s a great honour and I hope I’ll be up to the standard that’s expected of me,” she told swissinfo. “Honestly, I didn’t think they would take the decision.”

“As I’m the first woman selected for this task, I have to be good so others will get a chance.”

Media spotlight

Before Petignat, only two Frenchwomen had served on the sidelines as assistant referees in the Champions League.

For her match in Sweden, the Swiss referee will have two men under her control. But she will be the one in the spotlight, as the media focus on her rather than the game itself.

But over the past 21 years Petignat has become used to all the attention.

At every level of the game, she has had to prove that she had the physical and mental strength to climb the ladder and referee in big matches.

The European Cup game in Sweden looks very much like a well-earned reward, not unlike the 1999 World Cup final between the United States and China.

But Petignat says much remains to be done before she can enjoy her latest accomplishment. “I won’t be happy until the game is over,” she told swissinfo.

swissinfo, Mathias Froidevaux (translation: Scott Capper)

referee

Nicole Petignat will referee the Uefa Cup match on August 14 between Sweden’s AIK Solna and Iceland’s Fylkir.

She is the first woman anywhere to referee an international men’s match.

Four years ago, Petignat refereed the final of the women’s World Cup between the United States and China in front of 80,000 spectators.

referee summary

Nicole Petignat has been refereeing for the past 21 years, and overseeing matches in the Swiss first division since 1999.
She is the only woman to referee in Switzerland’s Super League.
In 2001, she also oversaw a match between Sturm Graz and Ried in Austria’s first division.