DOHA: Japan's Yoshimi Yamashita will become the first woman referee to officiate a men's Asian Cup match on Saturday when she takes charge of the Group B game between former champions Australia and India, Asia's soccer body AFC said on Thursday.
Yamashita will be supported by assistant referees Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi, making it an all-female trio who will oversee the encounter at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.
The trio have already teamed up in club matches at the 2019 AFC Cup, the 2022 AFC Champions League and Japan's J1 League last year.
Yamashita, who is the first professional woman referee from Japan, arrives in Doha with the experience of two women's World Cups under her belt while she was also a match official at the 2022 World Cup.
The 37-year-old is among five officials who will be the first woman to referee matches at the men's Asian Cup, which runs from January 12 to February 10. -- Reuters
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