FIFA named the first female referee from Saudi Arabia

"I am happy to be the first Saudi female referee to receive an international refereeing license," Anouda told reporters. When asked how she would feel about refereeing the men's game, al-Asmari said she did not dare to think about it until she heard the approval of the sports leadership of Saudi Arabia.

According to the Saudi Gazette, cited by Al Jazeera, al-Asmari began her career as a referee in 2018, when she refereed a number of matches involving the Saudi Arabian women's national football team.

New opportunities have begun to open up for Saudi women, including sports, as part of the reforms announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia's first women's national team, coached by German Monica Stapp, beat Seychelles 2-0 in their first official match last February.

Saudi Arabia, whose neighbor Qatar hosted the World Cup in November and December, has applied to host the Women's Asian Cup in 2026 and is so far the only contender for the men's version in 2027.

Riyadh is also considering a joint bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup jointly with Egypt and Greece.