Serie A's first woman referee to make debut this weekend

MILAN (AFP) - Italy s Serie A is set to have its first match officiated by a woman after the country s referee association AIA confirmed on Wednesday that Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi would take charge of a game this weekend.

In July Ferrieri Caputi was promoted to the top rung of Italian football s match officials and local media report that she will be assigned Sassuolo s home clash with Salernitana on Sunday afternoon.

"This isn t any old day, I m pretty emotional," said AIA president Alfredo Trentalange.

Speaking at a press conference in Rome he did not confirm which match Ferrieri Caputi would be given.

"Maria Sole will make her Serie A debut on the basis of her merit... We don t hand out privileges, Maria Sole has earned this, and it s a success for the whole refereeing sector."

Ferrieri Caputi refereed in the third-tier Serie C last season but she has already refereed a match featuring a Serie A side, when Cagliari played Cittadella in the Italian Cup in December last year.

The 31-year-old also officiated the latter team s Serie B match with SPAL two months before.

Women referees are becoming increasingly common in the men s game, with three selected for the upcoming men s World Cup in Qatar.

Among that trio is Stephanie Frappart, the highest profile women s referee who has taken charge of men s matches in the Champions League, French Ligue 1 and World Cup qualifiers.