Berman grew up in a soccer-loving family, playing as a defender for around 10 years from around the age of five.<\/p>\n
\t Israeli referee Sapir Berman, 31, the first transgender woman to referee an international soccer match, during an interview at her house in Kiryat Bialik, on August 12, 2025. (JACK GUEZ \/ AFP)<\/p>\n When she realized her professional ambitions were not working out, she joined the referees association and worked her way up to preside over men\u2019s matches in the Israeli Premier League.<\/p>\n But all the while, Berman felt she was hiding her innermost secret and was even frustrated during the initial stage of her hormone therapy.<\/p>\n It was when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and Berman was plunged into lockdown that she began reflecting on the future.<\/p>\n \u201cI asked myself: \u2018Is this what life will look like? Is this where it\u2019s going?’\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI decided to reveal myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Berman initially feared her career in soccer was over, but said her brother suggested she try to make it work.<\/p>\n \u2018A lot of questions\u2019<\/p>\n England\u2019s Lucy Clark became the first transgender woman in the world to referee a match in 2018, in the third tier of English women\u2019s soccer, but has never officiated internationally.<\/p>\n When Berman officiated the Women\u2019s Under-17 Euro qualifier between Northern Ireland and Montenegro in Belfast in March, it was a first for European soccer, according to UEFA.<\/p>\n \t Israeli referee Sapir Berman (C), 31, the first transgender woman to referee an international soccer match, runs with other referees during a training session in Kibbutz Ga\u2019ash, on August 20, 2025. (JACK GUEZ \/ AFP)<\/p>\n Berman said the journey was not always easy, despite great support and professionalism from Israel\u2019s referees association.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were a lot of questions, and a lot of moments where they said: \u2018We don\u2019t know what to do.\u2019 And I also didn\u2019t know what to do, what it involved, what to expect, or how the process would go,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Berman said that when she began hormone therapy as part of her transition, she initially felt resentful towards her body.<\/p>\n \u201cOutside the field, I felt amazing. On the field, I felt that I destroyed my career,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She failed two fitness tests and was moved down a league, but with the help of a sports psychologist and \u201ca lot of trial and error,\u201d she made her comeback.<\/p>\n Berman received her international badge earlier this year and dreams of refereeing a match in the Champions League, the European Championship, or the World Cup.<\/p>\n \u2018Different layers\u2019<\/p>\n Transgender participation has become a hot-button issue as different sports try to balance inclusivity with ensuring fair competition.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, England\u2019s Football Association announced that transgender women would no longer be allowed to play in women\u2019s soccer.<\/p>\n \t Soccer referee Sapir Berman at an Israeli Premier League match between Beitar Jerusalem and FC Ashdod at the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem on January 8, 2024. (Oren Ben Hakoon\/Flash90)<\/p>\n Berman said she trusted those in decision-making bodies and expected them to \u201cfind the way to integrate, to unite, to diversify\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cHuman beings are made up of so many different layers, and you come and reject us for just one reason,\u201d she said, explaining how an athlete\u2019s performance could also be affected by mental, financial, geographical, or familial factors.<\/p>\n On the pitch, Berman said she has received positive reactions from both players and supporters.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fans continued to curse me \u2014 only now, they did it in the feminine form,\u201d she said, adding that it \u201cwas a kind of stamp of approval \u2014 that they see me exactly as I am.\u201d<\/p>\n And on the street, young people have told her that her story has given them hope.<\/p>\n \u201cThat fills me up. It gives me so much strength to keep going and doing what I do \u2014 because at the end of the day, I chose myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
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