The Champions Lounge at the FIFA Museum in Zurich buzzed with energy on Tuesday evening as guests gathered for the second edition of our Invitation from Prisca series. Following the live screening of the UEFA Women’s Nations League clash between Iceland and Switzerland, host and FIFA Museum Football Expert Prisca Steinegger welcomed the evening’s special guest: former elite referee Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb.

The match itself provided the perfect warm-up. Iceland and Switzerland treated attendees to a thrilling 3-3 draw, with Icelandic midfielder Karólína Vilhjálmsdóttir stealing the show with an impressive hat-trick. With the game screened live from Reykjavík, the atmosphere in Zurich reflected the energy on the pitch – a fitting build-up to a night dedicated to stories from the frontlines of football.

Steinhaus-Webb, the first woman to officiate in the men’s Bundesliga (2017) and now Head of Women’s Refereeing at FIFA, took the stage to share reflections from her groundbreaking career. She spoke about her early days balancing work as a police officer and a referee, noting with a smile that the two roles weren’t all that different. With humour, honesty and depth, she described her path from refereeing local matches as a young woman to overseeing major finals, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™ final and the Olympic gold-medal match at London 2012.

Her journey was marked by perseverance. She explained how she spent years officiating in the 2. Bundesliga, feeling ready for the top flight while others around her still needed convincing. “Sometimes, you're ready before the world is,” she hinted, to nods of recognition from the audience. Her advice to young referees? “Enjoy every moment on the pitch. And invest in your conditioning – it’s a lot harder to do in your 40s!”

The evening closed with a prize giveaway for the winners of a football quiz about Steinhaus-Webb’s career. The top prize – a referee shirt and a set of red and yellow cards – was personally signed by Steinhaus-Webb, offering a special keepsake from a memorable night.