Officials announced on Thursday that women, including Japanese Yoshimi Yamashita, will officiate the men's Asian Cup for the first time in Qatar next year.
In addition to being selected for the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar, Yamashita has been chosen for the regional championship in January/February alongside four other women.
According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), "for the first time ever, women match officials are poised to make their debut at Asia's most prestigious men's national team competition."
In addition, the AFC has announced that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system will have its "full debut" at the tournament.
For the first time, the Asian Cup will feature 24 teams, with the winners being crowned by the hosts in Qatar.
Since both Japan and South Korea advanced to the round of 16, they will also be considered among the tournament's top contenders.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced last month that it would debut the Asian Women's Champions League in 2024.
