Stephanie Frappart is set to make history once again as she takes charge of England's international friendly against Senegal at the City Ground in Nottingham on June 11, 2025. The French referee, renowned for breaking barriers in men's football, will oversee the match as England seeks to build on a narrow 1-0 victory over Andorra from the previous weekend.
Frappart's appointment marks the second time she has refereed a senior England men's game, having previously made history in October 2023 when she officiated England's 1-0 win against Australia at Wembley Stadium. That match saw Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins score the decisive goal, and Frappart's presence was hailed as a landmark moment in football officiating.
Born in Herblay-sur-Seine, France, Frappart began her refereeing career at the young age of 13, initially officiating youth games. By 18, she was already refereeing national under-19 matches, laying the foundation for a trailblazing career. Her debut in the French men's third tier came in 2011, and in April 2019, she shattered the glass ceiling by becoming the first female referee to officiate in Ligue 1, France's top men's division.
Her pioneering path continued as she became the first woman to referee in Ligue 2, the Champions League, and the UEFA Super Cup. In December 2020, Frappart made history again by officiating the Champions League Group G match between Juventus and Dynamo Kiev in Turin, becoming the first female to do so. She also refereed the 2019 UEFA Super Cup between Chelsea and Liverpool and the Women's World Cup final that same year.
Her international credentials are equally impressive. Frappart was selected as part of a group of female referees for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where she became the first female official to oversee a men's World Cup match, taking charge of Germany's clash with Costa Rica. She has also officiated at three Women's World Cups, including the most recent tournament in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
In addition to her World Cup exploits, Frappart served as a fourth official at UEFA Euro 2020 (held in 2021), further cementing her place in football history. Her experience extends to the Europa League, where she refereed Leicester City's match against Zorya Luhansk in October 2020.
Throughout the current French Ligue 1 season, Frappart has been a consistent presence, officiating sixteen matches and issuing 62 yellow cards, averaging 3.88 per game, while only sending off one player. According to WhoScored.com, across 118 top-flight matches spanning Ligue 1, the Europa League, men's and women's World Cups, Champions League, Nations League, and European Championship qualifiers, she averages 3.66 yellow cards and 0.19 red cards per game. In her last match involving England, the 2023 friendly against Australia, she booked Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher.
Peter Elsworth, the FA's head of refereeing operations, praised Frappart's expertise, stating, "Stephanie is an outstanding referee and she has officiated on the highest stage within France, across Europe and at the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup." The Football Association was eager to appoint her for the England vs. Senegal friendly after the French Football Federation confirmed her availability.
The officiating team for the England-Senegal match is an all-French squad, featuring assistant referees Aurélien Drouet and Camille Soriano, fourth official Abdelatif Kherradji, video assistant referee Mathieu Vernice, and assistant video assistant referee Benoit Millot.
Manager Thomas Tuchel will be hoping for a more commanding display from his side after the underwhelming 1-0 victory against Andorra on June 8, 2025. The friendly against Senegal provides an opportunity for experimentation and improvement ahead of more competitive fixtures.
The game will be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX, with coverage starting at 7 pm and kickoff scheduled for 7:45 pm. Mark Pougatch will present the pre-match show, alongside pundits Roy Keane and Ian Wright, with commentary by Sam Matterface and Lee Dixon.
Frappart reflected on her historic role in men's football, recalling her experience refereeing the 2019 UEFA Super Cup between Chelsea and Liverpool: "It was a pretty special feeling when you walked out in the stadium and the crowd were actually cheering for us, I've never experienced that and in such a big, big match. In the warm-up I looked around and I was like, the other teams aren't here so they have to be cheering for us. When you looked up at the crowd, I normally don't engage with the crowd, they were looking at us and a few were waving and giving us thumbs up and congratulations. I thought that was pretty special."
As Stephanie Frappart continues to break new ground in football refereeing, her presence at the City Ground promises to add an extra layer of significance to England's friendly against Senegal, underscoring both her remarkable career and the growing recognition of female officials in the men's game.
