Editorial staff and experts from 70 countries from all the football continents in the world took part in the second running of the IFFHS annual election of The World’s Best Woman Referee 2013. German referee Bibiana Steinhaus, second last year for the first edition behind the swedish Jenny Palmqvist, won the title for the first time with a great advance before… Jenny Palmqvist! There was no doubt that Steinhaus ist the World’s Best Referee in 2013. The policewoman (34 years old) was on duty at the European Championship in Sweden and headed three games, including the quarter final between Norway and Spain. Steinhaus is also the first German woman who whistles games in the Second Bundesliga in the Men’s League. She had a great personnality and a good feeling with the players, who respected her for her performances. Jenny Palmqvist (44) is a professional referee and head games in the Swedish Woman League. She has been since many years the reference in the World of the woman referees and was the FIRST winner of this title last year. Her second place is logical this year and rewarded her great career. The Swiss Esther Staubli was third with only two points less than Palmqvist. Since 13 years, Staubli (43) has been referee and head games in the third Mens League in Switzerland as well as in the UEFA Women’s Champions League or this summer at the European Championship in Sweden. Fourth Carina Vitulano (38) from Italy and fifth Kateryna Monzul (32) from Ukraine can pretend to have big games in the future and competitors in the next 5 years with Bibiana Steinhaus.
IFFHS World’s Best Women Referees 2013
1. Bibiana Steinhaus (GER, photo) 112 p2. Jenny Palmqvist (SWE) 57 p
3. Esther Staubli (SUI) 55 p
4. Carina Vitulano (ITA) 48 p
5. Kateryna Monzul (UKR) 37 p
6. Kirsi Heikkinen (FIN) 31 p
7. Cristina Dorcioman (ROU) 30 p
8. Teodora Albon (ROU) 3 p
9. Pernilla Larsson (SWE) 2 p
10. Amy Fearn (ENG) 2 p