Queensland referees are set to showcase their elite skills in rebel Female Football Week with four talented locals appointed to this weekend’s Westfield W-League Semi Finals.
Lara Lee will oversee Saturday’s blockbuster date between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC before Rachel Mitchenson takes charge of Melbourne City’s clash with Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday.
Brisbane-based Lee, a FIFA Panel member, has been a Westfield W-League referee since 2012, while the Sunshine Coast’s Mitchenson made her top-tier debut the following year.
The pair are among Australia’s leading match officials and will have two other experienced Queenslanders in support for the Finals Series fixtures, which form part of rebel Female Football Round.
Additional assistant referee Casey Reibelt, who earned a call-up to last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, and fourth official Avrol Beecham have also been chosen for City’s clash with Western Sydney.
The quartet’s selection comes as Football Queensland and its clubs and zones join the footballing community in celebrating the outstanding contribution women and girls make to football in Australia.
Running from 8 to 15 March, rebel Female Football Week incorporates activities and storytelling designed to recognise and promote the role women play in developing the game.
The festivities culminate at a national level with rebel Female Football Round, which coincides with week one of the Westfield W-League Finals Series and Round 23 in the Hyundai A-League.