Glenn Coleman
Aug 15, 2023 - 02:05

Referee for Spain vs Sweden at the 2023 Women's World Cup: Meet Edina Alves Batista

Spain and Sweden face off in World Cup semi-finals, with referee Edina Alves Batista making history as the first female referee in the tournament.

Spain and Sweden are set to face off in the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup in Auckland, with the winner earning the right to compete against either Australia or England in the final. Referee Edina Alves Batista, a Brazilian, will be officiating the match.

For Brazil, this tournament has been a disappointment. They were considered a dark horse and were expected to at least make it to the knockout rounds. However, they were eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 1995, with a narrow loss to France and a goalless draw against Jamaica.

Despite Brazil's early exit, one Brazilian referee has made it to the latter stages of the tournament. Edina Alves Batista will be in the middle when Spain and Sweden go head-to-head in the semi-finals. This will be her fourth match of the 2023 Women's World Cup.

In her previous appearances in the tournament, Alves Batista has shown great control, only brandishing two yellow cards. She has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2016 and made her international tournament debut in the 2018 Copa América Femenina in Chile. This is her second Women's World Cup, having officiated in the 2019 edition in France.

Alves Batista has also made history in men's football. In 2021, she became the first woman to officiate at a senior men's FIFA tournament during the fifth-placed match at the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup. She also made headlines as the first female match official to oversee the men's São Paulo derby in Série A in Brazil.

Assisting Alves Batista will be fellow Brazilians Neuza Back and Leila Moreira da Cruz as assistant referees, with Melissa Borjas of Honduras serving as the fourth official. The video assistant referee (VAR) will be Colombia's Nicolás Gallo, and the assistant VAR will be Armando Villarreal from the United States. The offside VAR will be Felisha Mariscal from the US.

The stage is set for an exciting semi-final clash between Spain and Sweden, with Alves Batista at the helm. Both teams will be vying for a spot in the final, where they will face either Australia or England. It's a crucial moment in the tournament, and all eyes will be on the players and the referee as they battle it out for glory.