1
{{item.n}}
“Be clear, be fair, be calm” — Maria Heitor on her World Cup refereeing journey
Stadium of Light on the 22nd of August. England and the United States of America clashed in Sunderland, with Aimee Barrett-Theron officiating the game, assisted by New Zealander Natarsha Ganley and Portuguese Maria Heitor.
ADVERTISEMENT
Besides Zimbabwean Precious Pazani, Heitor is the only referee from a non-World Cup participating country at England 2025.
Born and raised in Lisbon, Maria Heitor took her first rugby steps while playing for Agronomia in 2004, without ever thinking she would be involved in the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup of all time.
“I never imagined that my rugby life would guide me to this point. When I first started, my focus was to play, to learn and to have fun. The women’s game 20 years ago was 100% different. The real boom only happened about five years ago for countries with smaller rugby communities. The game has grown and is now changing perceptions all over the globe.”
Heitor went on to win several trophies with SL Benfica and Sporting CP, and even had the honour of being the first Portuguese player to lift two Élite 1 titles when she played for Lille MRCV back in the 2010s.
After years of dedication to the club and national team scene, Heitor decided to become a referee, as she wanted to stay involved with the game—a mindset she hopes others will follow.
“Playing doesn’t have to be the final destination for everyone. If playing rugby isn’t for you, it doesn’t mean it has to be the end of your involvement with the sport. If you sustain a career-ending injury, you don’t have to feel that you don’t matter anymore. You can always become a match official and be a driving force of change. That’s why I became a referee, and why I am going to be a rugby referee educator, so I can keep spreading the message.”
ADVERTISEMENT
She made her debut in 2019 as a Rugby Europe match official, progressing through the ranks slowly but surely, and, as she says, “step by step.” Four years later, the most significant moment of her match official career came when she was picked as an assistant referee for the 2023 Women’s Six Nations.
She was involved in the France vs Ireland and France vs England fixtures, in what has been quite the journey for the 36-year-old.
“It has been quite a wild ride for me, as I was selected as an assistant referee for Le Crunch two years ago, just four years after I had made my international debut as a Rugby Europe match official.”
Although she had touched the peak of European rugby, Heitor wasn’t going to stop there and turned her attention to the next big event: the 2025 Rugby World Cup.
ADVERTISEMENT
“My goal in the last year was to be selected as a member of the officiating squad for the World Cup. And, if I was lucky enough, to be in the officiating team for the England vs USA game. Every referee dreams of being in the World Cup opener or final, and fortunately for me, I got assigned to the opener.”
Under the searing heat of the opening match, Heitor described why it was a significant moment not only for her, but for the women’s game as well.
“The final was something else. There were 42,723 spectators at the Stadium of Light supporting their teams. I think some people don’t understand the magnitude of it all. Sunderland is four hours away by train from London, and to have so many fans travelling there to watch the 2025 Rugby World Cup opener is groundbreaking.”
For her, the 2025 Rugby World Cup will set a benchmark for future editions, after New Zealand had already done the same in 2022.
“This World Cup has already broken every record set by the previous one. It isn’t a hiccup or a one-time-only phenomenon. It is actual proof that the women’s game is growing and reaching a new level. We have the player who is most followed on social media, etc. It is truly amazing to be part of it all.”
She added a significant detail to prove her point about the growth of the women’s Rugby World Cup.
“I have been to previous World Cups, men’s and women’s, and I have never seen a fan zone so heavily packed as I did in Sunderland. The whole atmosphere was unique, as the fans were there for the game, and not only to support their teams.”
While Ilona Maher, Katelyn Vaha’akolo, Georgi Perris-Redding, Laura Delgado, and others are the main focal points for fans, Heitor mentions that even referees have been requested by the fans.
“Even the referees are cherished in the same way. After the Sunderland game, I took a few pictures with young fans. It doesn’t happen in any other sport. There’s a positivity to the women’s game. There’s an embrace from the fandom to everyone involved with the game.
I wouldn’t be a referee in any other sport. But rugby is unique. I feel accepted as a referee in our sport.”
With that being said, there were rumours that this would be the last big rugby event for Heitor, as she was already eyeing retirement to become a World Rugby Educator. She shed some light on that subject.
“I am going to be completely honest: I thought about retiring after the 2025 World Cup. However, after being here, I want more. At 36, I thought I wouldn’t have a chance to be in the next World Cup. However, if we maintain our conditioning and keep officiating at a high level, it is still possible to be in the next one. So, the short answer is: yes, I am going to work to be in the next one.”
“However…” And she opened up about what will come next in her career as a match official.
“I am already taking the next steps for what comes after, as I have finished my World Rugby Educator degree. My goal is to help get more women into refereeing. I want to teach and share my knowledge, showing them that there are great opportunities for them to reach the top level. I don’t want to be the only Portuguese woman referee to have been at a World Cup.”
She hopes her example will inspire others to follow her lead, believing that becoming a match official can be just as fulfilling as playing or coaching rugby. While Heitor isn’t a fan of being the central figure, she has opened up about her journey to the media to entice others that being a referee isn’t just a path of sacrifice and pain.
“I think it is unreal that in Portugal, which is a very football-oriented country, I was in the middle of one of the biggest sports newspapers, and my face was on the cover. It helps change the perception of it all. The two-time Olympian referee Paulo Duarte had already done that, and I’m 100% sure initiatives of that kind help to break through the fourth wall.”
For her, the word ‘opportunity’ best defines the job of match official right now, and she is living proof of it.
“There are so many opportunities out there, and women like me just have to take them. We have to work long hours, learn and adapt, but there’s a world of great opportunities waiting. Just take the leap.”
As another game review came up, Heitor started getting ready to join her fellow match officials. Before leaving, she shared how she operates in each game, regardless of the level of play.
“For me, it is all about having the same mindset. I have to officiate with the same mentality. I can’t change my work ethic. It is vital to me, as a rugby referee, to uphold the same three rules in each game: be clear, be fair, and be calm.”
As it was time for another group viewing of the opening weekend’s games, Heitor departed, making a funny but factual remark.
“It is funny to me that, amongst the many pro players and referees, one amateur Portuguese match assistant is trying to do her best. It can seem unreal, but here I am.”
We've ranked the best women's rugby players in the world, from 50 - 1! View the Top 50 now