Former Bundesliga referee successfully referees men's game!

Former Bundesliga referee successfully referees men's game!

On June 16, 2025, a remarkable football event occurred in Central Saxony when an all-female team of referees refereed a men's game. It was only the second time that such a team was used in this men's class. At the helm was former Bundesliga referee Daniela Illing, who had previously refereed the DFB Cup final. This comeback by Illing is seen as an important symbol of equality in sport and shows that women are taken seriously as referees in football.

After the game, Illing was busy preparing the final certificates for her students at the Chemnitz sports high school. This shows that she is not only active in sport, but also in training and makes a valuable contribution to the development of young talents. The game itself took place between the Burgstädt/Röhrsdorf II syndicate and, thanks to Illing's involvement, sheds additional light on the potential of women in refereeing.

Current developments in refereeing

The developments in refereeing for the 2024/2025 season underline the trend towards greater representation of women. The DFB has published the division of referees for the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga and the 2nd Women's Bundesliga. In the highest German league, the squad size was set at 17 people. This is a significant step as Selina Menzel is promoted from the 2nd Bundesliga while Christine Weigelt and Ines Appelmann end their careers.

Internationally, Germany is represented by FIFA referees Dr. Riem Hussein, Fabienne Michel, Angelika Söder, Karoline Wacker and Franziska Wildfeuer represented. This demonstrates the enormous development and importance of female referees at international level. In addition, five new referees from the B-Junior Bundesliga will be promoted to the 2nd Women's Bundesliga, which is intended to promote young talent in this area.

Innovations in the women's Bundesliga

A major innovation in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga is the use of exclusively specialized assistants. The number of female assistants has increased from 14 to 27 and now includes four male assistants. Christine Baitinger, the sporting director of the referees, emphasizes the importance of professionalization and specialization in refereeing. It is a sign that the DFB is ready to invest in the quality and training of its referees.

Overall, it can be said that Daniela Illing's comeback and the innovations in refereeing represent a positive signal for the future of women's football and equality in this area. More female referees in higher leagues and the support from the DFB show that the general conditions are slowly but surely improving.

For more information about Daniela Illing's comeback, you can find the details at Free press read up. For official information about female referees in the DFB, visit the page dfb.de.