September 14, 2023 – Yoshimi Yamashita, a seasoned World Cup referee, is set to make history once again at the men’s Asian Cup in Qatar in January. Yamashita is among five female match officials, including two referees, selected by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to officiate at the tournament, which will be held from January 12 to February 10.
This marks the first time that the AFC has appointed female match officials for its premier men’s event. In addition to Yoshimi Yamashita, Katherine Jacewicz of Australia was also chosen as one of the referees. The assistant referees selected for the tournament are Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi from Japan, and Kim Kyoung Min from South Korea.
The Asian Cup, featuring 24 teams, will be played in many of the same stadiums that hosted the men’s World Cup, where Yoshimi Yamashita previously served as the fourth official for six group stage matches.
Yoshimi Yamashita’s inclusion as a referee at the Asian Cup follows her historic selection by FIFA as one of three female referees for the men’s World Cup. Stephanie Frappert of France also made history by officiating the Germany-Costa Rica match during the World Cup group stage.
In April, Yoshimi Yamashita led the first-ever all-female team of match officials in a game in Japan’s J-League, the country’s top football league. Her continued success and achievements are paving the way for more gender diversity and inclusion in football officiating.