Heba Saadieh Becomes First Palestinian to Referee at A World Cup

When England trounced China 6-1 in a Group D match of the FIFA Women's World Cup on Tuesday at Adelaide's Hindmarsh Stadium, a piece of history was made on the sidelines.

Heba Saadieh, the game's second assistant referee, became the first Palestinian to referee a World Cup match while wearing a hijab.

“I’m so proud to be the first-ever Palestinian referee, male or female, in the World Cup,” Saadieh was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

“That makes me feel a responsibility to show a very good performance during the tournament. I hope I can open this door for others, for Palestinian women referees — and men also — to be selected in the future,” she added.

Saadieh, who was born in Syria to Palestinian parents, grew up in the Yarmouk Camp with hundreds of thousands of other Palestinian refugees.

She began her refereeing career in Syria after specializing in physical education while a student at Damascus University. Before being forced to move to Malaysia in 2012 due to the war, she joined the football referees' committee and rose to the position of fourth official in the Syrian League.

After specialising in physical education while a student at Damascus University, she started her refereeing career there. She joined the football referees' committee and advanced to the level of fourth official in the Syrian League before being forced to leave Syria in 2012 and travel to Malaysia.

She then called the shots in several international tournaments, including the Asian Football Confederation Cup, Olympics qualification matches and Women’s World Cup qualifiers.