German makes history by becoming first woman to referee in top European soccer league
The 38-year-old takes charge of Hertha Berlin’s 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen
Germany’s Bibiana Steinhaus made history on Sunday as the first female referee to officiate a match in a top European league by taking charge of Hertha Berlin’s 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen.
The 38-year-old had built up a wealth of experience by refereeing 80 second-division games since 2007 and was the fourth official on numerous occasions in the Bundesliga, but this was her refereeing debut in the top flight.
To mark the occasion, Hertha offered half-price tickets to female supporters who wanted to see Steinhaus in charge.
She kept tight control at the Olympic Stadium and will have fulfilled her pre-match wish that her performance would not attract headlines, indicating that would mean “everything will have gone well”.
