In a first, FIFA appoints female referees for U-17 WC

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With only two months to go before the FIFA U-17 World Cup kicks off, the FIFA Referees Committee has appointed 21 trios of match officials, representing all six confederations.

However, the most astonishing part of the appointment is the appointment of female referees. It will be the first-ever time that FIFA has selected female referees for a men's tournament.

Apart from match referees, FIFA has also selected seven support referees.

"We think it's time for elite female referees to be involved in a FIFA men's competition," said FIFA head of refereeing Massimo Busacca.

"They worked together with male match officials last year and now we want to see them working together in a competition," Busacca added.

For some of the selected match officials, the prestigious event will be another important step in their preparations for FIFA's flagship competition, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

At the same time, this competition in India will give other ambitious FIFA referees the opportunity to show their quality while taking another step forward in their career.