Sweden's Tess Olofsson has already been refereeing for 25 years, with Saturday's Oslo final the next major assignment in an impressive career. Tess Olofsson is preparing for her first UEFA Women's Champions League final, having first taken up officiating as a 13-year-old. Since then she has risen to the very top of the game, having officiated in Sweden's top men's and women's domestic divisions, becoming an international referee in 2015 and taking charge of matches at UEFA Women's EURO 2022 and 2025. Below, she discusses her career and just how it feels to be taking the whistle for the biggest match of the European women's club season.
- Congratulations on the appointment, Tess – what was your first reaction when you learned you would referee this final?
- It happened on a Monday morning, when I was having breakfast. [UEFA director of refereeing] Roberto Rosetti called me to say I had been appointed to the Women's Champions League final. That was just an amazing moment and I was really, really happy. I certainly had some tears in my eyes, but happy tears, as it's a big honour.
- You're used to big matches and occasions – will this one feel any different?
- It does, because it's really one of the biggest games in European women's football. We have two very good teams and it's going to be a really high-quality match. I always want to do my best and prepare as best I can, so I will do everything I can to make it a success. I will watch the teams' previous matches to know about their tactics and set pieces and understand their styles and patterns of play so I can be correct in my positioning. Of course, you never know what's going to happen in a game, and details and tactics can change from one to the next, but if you prepare well then it's a benefit when the moment arrives.
- You've been an international referee since 2015. Just how much has the level of the Women's Champions League risen in that time?
- There has been a big change. Nowadays, women's football is much, much faster and players have better techniques. We have highly professional players and coaches, the stadiums are full of spectators, so the crowd is bigger than it used to be. We used to be lucky if there was one game televised and now they all are, so there is much more interest than before. That means the expectations all round are higher and, for us referees, it is more demanding too. Our fitness is higher, we are more prepared and, of course, there are always developing trends that we need to keep up with, as well as changes to the laws of the game.
- You first set out as a referee when you were 13. What have been the key milestones in your personal journey?
- It's exactly 25 years since my first tournament, which feels crazy. Since then, there have been a lot of steps. The most significant I think are when I reached the top division in Sweden in 2012, becoming an international referee, and then most recently the journey into men's football and reaching the top division there. There are some differences between refereeing men and women, but the sport is still the same and people can be surprised at the high speed of women's football now, as well as the impressive technique of the players. And as a referee, I run just as much in a women's game as a men's match.
- When did you realise refereeing was a career for you?
- It was around the time I turned 20, because I had so many injuries when I was playing as a goalkeeper. I had to quit playing because I risked not being able to run in the future, but I already loved refereeing and made the decision to focus on that 100%. I took my first big course in Sweden in 2007 and from there took a major step up every season for the next four years.
- What would you say to that 13-year-old rookie now she's about to take charge of a Women's Champions League final?
- My message to that girl is to work hard and don't stop what you are doing. I remember my first game and it was really hard because I was only two years older than the boys I was refereeing, with all these parents along the side complaining and saying bad words. I wanted to quit, but when I look back, it was all worth it. I'm pleased, and proud, of all the experiences.
- What do you most enjoy about the role?
- I love football, it's the biggest passion in my life. So just to be a part of the game, even though I'm not playing. To have the opportunity to travel – we see so many different cities and countries – and work with so many different colleagues is a fantastic experience. Of course I also love the challenge. You never know what you will face during a game and I love the fitness and physical aspect.
- How will you feel when you walk out at Ullevaal Stadion and what will represent a job well done?
- I will be very focused, prepared and ready. I'll try to enjoy the walk-out and the line-ups, but as soon as the whistle goes, the best thing that can happen is that nobody notices the refereeing team and we can do a good job in the background. The best feeling after a match is when both teams, win or lose, can come up to you and say "well done" – we really do appreciate that after a game and it means a lot.
