FIFA has appointed Anoud al-Asmari as an international football referee, making her Saudi Arabia’s first-ever female referee.
The FIFA World Cup may only be fresh in our collective memories, particularly after such a thrilling performance from the Socceroos, but for lovers of the game, there’s still more to celebrate. In what is a momentous moment for women in sport, Saudi Arabia can now lay claim to its first-ever female international football referee, after Anoud al-Asmari was appointed by football’s governing body last week. While seven other Saudi referees also received the official FIFA badge, al-Asmari was the first-ever female.
The news comes after the Saudi Arabian Football Federation published the list of new referees just days after also winning the intense bidding war that saw them secure five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo. Under his new contract, Ronaldo will now play for the Saudi Pro League club, Al Nassr.
For al-Asmari, the new role presents an exciting opportunity and one she’s strived for throughout her career. The 34-year-old first began her career as a referee in 2018, a mere few months after the conservative kingdom announced it was changing it laws to allow women to drive and obtain driver’s licences.
Then, in February of 2022, the National Women’s Team made their international debut in the Maldives, after the first edition of the Saudi Women’s League (which had eight clubs) concluded in 2021. Speaking to the AFP news agency, al-Asmari said she is “happy to be the first Saudi female referee to receive the international badge in the history of Saudi sports.”
Anoud Al-Asmari made history as the first Saudi woman to be officially certified as a @fifa referee. She was the only woman among 8 other saudi candidates that have been selected.
This is BIG news 👏🏻🤩 #lovinsaudi pic.twitter.com/5AAviozJWj— Lovin Saudi (@LovinSaudi_En) January 8, 2023
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came into power in 2017, Saudi Arabia has made significant efforts to change its culture and laws pertaining to gender inequality. More recently, Somalian-British featherweight boxer, Ramla Ali and Dominican boxer, Crystal Nova, participated in Saudi Arabia’s first women’s professional boxing match.
Even outside of sport, Saudi Arabia is looking to bring greater rights to women and more opportunities. As Women’s Agenda reports, in the last five years, female participation in the workforce has almost doubled, with more women assuming jobs given exclusively to men and migrant workers.
Anoud al-Asmari has become the first Saudi woman to be appointed as an international football referee by FIFA. pic.twitter.com/ztN3oVG7yw
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) January 8, 2023
Now, with al-Asmari’s appointment as the kingdom’s first-ever female international football referee, it’s hoped that more women will pursue such careers, particularly in male-dominated professions typically evidenced on the sporting field and its sidelines. As al-Asmari proves, dedication to one’s craft and hard work mean anything is possible, and it’s through these actions that positive change is created.
Saudi Arabia will now look to see whether it is successful in its bid to hold the Women’s Asian Cup in 2026, while also bidding for the men’s Asian Cup in 2027. It will also team up with Egypt and Greece for a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup.
