Yamashita among first women referees for men’s Asian Cup

Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita is among five officials who will be the first women to referee matches at the men’s Asian Cup next year, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on Thursday.

Yamashita also officiated at last year’s men’s World Cup in Qatar. Australian Katherine Jacewicz will also be among the referees for the tournament, while assistants include Japanese duo Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi and Kim Kyoung-min of South Korea.

“For the first time ever, women match officials are poised to make their debut at Asia’s most prestigious men’s national team competition…,” the AFC said in a statement.

The tournament, originally scheduled to be played in June and July this year, will run from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 and is being held in Qatar after original hosts China stood down due to the country’s COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.