Female referees selected for World Cup for first time in history while Premier League pair are also picked for Qatar
FIFA chiefs have broken new ground by naming THREE women referees for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The football governing body announced the list of 36 whistlers, which is more than usual because of the schedule which means four games every day in the group stage.
But the decision to select the three women officials is a trailblazing move by FIFA.
France's Stephanie Frappart is the most high-profile woman ref, having taken charge of the 2019 UEFA Super Cup between Liverpool and Chelsea as well as being the first woman to whistle a Champions League game, between Juventus and Dynamo Kyiv in 2020.
The other two chosen refs are Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Japan's Yoshimi Yamashita.
Prem refs Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor have BOTH been selected for the tournament as well.
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The selection of Oliver and Taylor is a vindication for PGMOL and refs' chief Mike Riley.
Riley was widely criticised for the absence of any English officials at the 2018 World Cup - although that was because chosen candidate Mark Clattenburg quit for a job in Saudi Arabia in the lead-up to the tournament.
Taylor will be part of a team with assistants Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn, while Oliver works with Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett.
Taylor and Oliver, alongside their assistants, were both part of the Euro 2020 roster last summer.
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Wythenshawe-based Taylor received widespread tributes for his handling of the events which followed Christian Eriksen's collapse in Denmark's game with Finland.
England are considered among the favourites to win the World Cup and could be joined in the tournament by either Scotland or Wales.