Tess Olofsson became the first woman to judge a Superettan match

At first glance, it could look like any normal October game.

Gaps in the stands in times of pandemic, five to ten in the 23rd round of Superettan and floodlights that lit up the completely black skies on Friday at Grimsta IP in west Stockholm.

But when home team Akropolis and away AFC Eskilstuna took to the field, it was for a historic match.

The head referee was named Tess Olofsson, and tonight she became the first female head referee at the elite level in Swedish men’s football.

She has been a fourth judge in male Swedish and refereed several national and international women’s matches. On the men’s side, it has also been a regular in Division 1, but now it was the Superettan.

– It is clear that it was special, says Tess Olofsson, who has been named judge of the year in Sweden three times, since.

– But I have tried to focus on the match itself and not think so much about this, that you are the first girl at this level. I just tried to think about how I charge differently for matches and tried to do the same now.

Tess Olofsson has He has long been a well-known referee in the Malmö area. The soccer referee who now lives on the outskirts of Piteå, where she has a part-time job with the police, is one of four FIFA referees in Sweden, and last winter she became the first woman to be admitted to the highest referee training in Sweden.

He put his pipe in his mouth when he was 13 years old.

– It was a lot of fun, but at the same time they were very tough matches and unfortunately I had to put up with a lot of shit, Olofsson said about his first men’s team matches in a previous interview.

– Then I felt that they would not be allowed to break me, but that I wanted to continue and continue fighting.

He has now passed step five, the highest step when it comes to referee training, and is targeting the male Swede after hopefully more test matches at the Superettan this fall.

The effort on Friday?

– It was fun. A hot match, important points for both teams, so there was a lot of excitement, says Tess Olofsson as she and her assistant referees receive DNs inside the referee room inside Grimsta.

The Superettan Akropolis club, used to playing in the shadows, rarely had so many journalists in their place.

– Well, I thought they were an amazing couple. I told him that later, says the local goalkeeper and on loan from AIK Samuel Brolin.

– I can imagine that it is quite difficult and that there were also many headlines before. It was a pretty hot match. But it was not seen or noticed in any way.

What is the difference between judging ladies and gentlemen?

Olofsson again:

– At this level, and even if compared to division 1 male, there is much more, there are many more cameras, for example.

Out in europe female referees in men’s football are more and more common. Like the German Bibiana Steinhaus, who recently ended her career judging the final of the men’s super cup in Germany. Or the French Stéphanie Frappart, who has judged both the final of the Women’s World Cup and the men’s Super Cup in England.

– I think it is important to have role models, so you should not pressure the girls. It takes time before you settle into a series, so you should let it take time, says Tess Olofsson.

So the game itself? It turned into a goal-rich history without much controversy with the referees. AFC Eskilstuna took the lead in the 24th minute (Ryan Williams). But just 13 minutes later, the Acropolis went 3-1 behind goals from Oscar Pettersson, team captain Marcus Haglind Sangré and Nicklas Maripuu. Visitor William Loeper was reduced early in the second half on penalties after a clear handheld situation. But Akropolis finally won 3-2.

What are you happiest with tonight?

– The team feeling and the chat with the players, that I managed to keep the warm feelings at a good level, says Olofsson.

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