Referees in top form ahead of Women's Euros final phase
The 13 whistle-blowers chosen to officiate at the 31 games in the tournament have been put through their paces for several months, with remote and group training sessions in the lead-up to sharpen their skills.
"Physical and mental preparation are very important for a referee. UEFA supports us with that, so we have a tailored plan to guarantee that we can be in optimal shape to take part in this tournament," said Spanish referee Marta Huerta de Aza who is officiating at her second Euros.
"To be at a Women's Euro again, three years on, is even more difficult, because the female referees we have in Europe, in my personal opinion, are the best in the world – they demonstrate it in each international competition," she added.
UEFA demands high standards of the referees employed for the 16-team tournament.
"Notably, all of them have passed the same fitness test we conduct for the elite men's referees. We have full confidence in them and their assistants, as well as the video officials, to show their quality at the final tournament," UEFA managing director for refereeing Roberto Rosetti said in a statement.
The growth in the women's game has also resulted in greater opportunities for female referees, with Tess Olofsson saying the landscape is vastly different from when she first picked up a whistle at the age of 13 in her native Sweden.
"Back then, we didn't have many female referees or role models. Suddenly, women's football has really developed, both in terms of refereeing and playing," she said.
"It is fantastic to see that there are so many professional female referees out there who can make a living out of this job."
Olofsson will act as fourth official for Germany's semi-final against Spain in Zurich on Wednesday. England meet Italy in Geneva on Tuesday and the final is in Basel on Sunday.
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