FIFA has announced the referees in charge of the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ and Japan’s YAMASHITA Yoshimi has been appointed as the fourth official in the final between Spain and England on Sunday, 20 August.

This is the second time a Japanese referee has been in charge of a FIFA Women's World Cup™ final since OIWA Mayumi, who served as the fourth official at the FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007™.

Date: Sun. 20 August 2023, 20:00 (Local time)
Venue: Stadium Australia
Referee: Tori PENSO (USA)
Assistant referee: Brooke MAYO (USA)
Assistant referee: Kathryn NESBITT (USA)
Fourth official: YAMASHITA Yoshimi

Referee Profile

◇YAMASHITA Yoshimi
Birthplace: Tokyo
Registered as International referee: 2015
Notable International competitions in charge:
2015　The 28th Summer Universiade (2015/Gwangju)
2016　FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Jordan 2016™
2017　The 29th Summer Universiade 2017 Taipei
2018　FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Uruguay 2018™
2019　FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™
2021　Games of the XXXII Olympiad (Tokyo 2020)
2022　AFC Champions League 2022
2022　FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™

*Became the first female referee to officiate a J.League match on 16 May 2021 (J3 League match between Y.S.C.C. Yokohama and Tegevajaro Miyazaki)
*Became the first female professional referee on 1 August 2022.
*Became the first female referee to officiate a J1 League match on 18 September 2022 (FC Tokyo vs Kyoto Sanga FC)
*Selected as one of the first ever female referees for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and served as the fourth official for a total of six matches.

Note
Japanese referees have been in charge of the men’s FIFA World Cup™ final, when NISHIMURA Yuichi and SAGARA Toru served as the fourth and fifth officials, respectively, in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

Comment

OGIYA Kenji, Chairman of JFA Referees Committee
We feel incredibly honoured that a Japanese referee would oversee the championship match. We anticipate it to be a thrilling game fit for a championship.