Wednesday’s Champions League match between Juventus and Dynamo Kiev will make history as the first ever to be officiated by a female referee.

Official Stephanie Frappart has long been a trailblazer for female referees. Last season she became the first woman to run the rule over a Ligue 1 match in France, when she took charge of Amiens versus Strasbourg.

Since then she has also officiated UEFA’s showpiece event, the Super Cup, between Chelsea and Liverpool back in September 2019, and just a few months ago took charge of a European tie when Leicester City hosted Ukrainian side Zorya Luhansk in the Europa League group stage.

Frappart was also handed the prestigious honour of refereeing the 2019 Women’s World Cup Final between U.S.A. and the Netherlands, so she’s no stranger to performing on the big stage.

It’s just reward for the 37-year-old, who is at the very top of her profession, as she continues to break down barriers and gender stereotypes.

Juventus have already qualified for the round of 16 in Group G alongside Barcelona but will have their work cut out against Dynamo Kiev, who managed to shut them out for the first 45 minutes of their tie in Ukraine.

An Alvaro Morata brace eventually gave Andrea Pirlo’s team a 2-0 victory that night, but the Old Lady will be keen to bounce back after drawing with Serie A minnows Benevento in their last league outing.

Stephanie Frappart

Dynamo on the other hand sit top of the Ukrainian Premier League, ahead of the likes of Shakhtar and the aforementioned Zorya. That form hasn’t translated to Champions League success, however. Dynamo have just one point to their name and were hammered 4-0 by Barcelona last time out.

It promises to be a historic night in Turin, and one Frappart, and millions of people watching around the world, will no doubt never forget.