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Yamashita is one of three women set to officiate in Qatar, with Stephanie Frappart of France and Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga part of FIFA’s 36-strong list of referees.
Though the Japanese may yet take up fourth official duties instead of the whistle, she understands the gravity of the situation and what it could mean for women moving forward.
“We have to consistently see female referees (on the pitch) to normalise it,” Yamashita said during an online briefing on September 1.
“There are barely any female referees in the Middle East, and it would be wonderful to see even just one more female referee after the Qatar World Cup.”
The World Cup won’t be the first time the 36-year-old will have traversed uncharted territory, having been the first woman to referee matches in the J-League and Asian Champions League respectively.
With matches at the 2019 Women’s World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics also under her belt, Yamashita feels well-equipped to handle the men’s equivalent, but emphasised the importance of her preparation.
“I’m really conscious of the speed I make split-second decisions,” she said.
“I have to continue training that muscle as the World Cup draws closer and be prepared to adjust to speedy developments.”
