Désirée Grundbacher: From Swiss international to Women's EURO 2025 referee
Friday, July 18, 2025
Article summary
After years of hard work to reach the highest level, Switzerland international Désirée Grundbacher gave up her playing career to become a referee. Now, she’s officiating at a home Women’s EURO – and hoping to inspire the next generation.
Article top media content
Article body
It was a moment of pure emotion when Désirée Grundbacher and her team found out that they had been selected for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 at home in Switzerland.
"We cried tears of joy," remembers Grundbacher. "It’s a huge honour to be part of such an amazing tournament… and a major milestone in our careers."
Like every official involved in the tournament, this was the culmination of many years of hard work for Grundbacher, whose refereeing journey began with one tough decision.
From midfield to the middle
From 2003 to 2008, Grundbacher was a regular in the top flight of Swiss women's football and earned 13 caps in midfield for the national team.
But playing football at the highest level alongside a full-time job came with its challenges, and Grundbacher found herself at a crossroads.
"I played football for a long time to reach the highest level and once I reached that level, I had to completely change my life," she explains. "I was working full time and I simply had no private life anymore.
"At that point, I was offered the choice between becoming a referee or continuing as a player. Somehow, overnight, I said, 'I’m changing careers. I’m no longer a player; I’m a referee.'
"I’ve never regretted that decision."
Seeing the game with new eyes
Grundbacher believes that her years of experience on the pitch have helped her to adapt to her new role.
"[Playing] helps you to understand the rules and to understand football itself," she says. "You develop a sense for how players think and react. Every player is different. It helps in every aspect."
She also sees refereeing as the perfect way to stay involved in the game for those who stop playing.
"I recommend it to everyone who has retired or maybe been injured and can’t play anymore, but still loves the sport and just wants to be part of football," says Grundbacher.
"I would encourage anyone to take the step because it’s simply amazing to still be part of this beautiful game."
A lasting legacy for Switzerland
The Swiss Football Association's legacy plan for Women's EURO 2025, Here to Stay, aims to double the number of female players and the number of female coaches and referees in the country by 2027.
Contributing to such a legacy is an exciting prospect for Grundbacher, who took charge of group stage matches between Belgium and Italy in Sion, and France and Wales in St. Gallen.
"I truly hope it becomes a massive inspiration for many young girls and women who want to find their path in football," she says. "We need [more] female players and referees and this is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to that."
As the number of female referees in Switzerland starts to rise, what would Grundbacher say to those taking up the whistle?
"Be strong," she advises. "You need emotions, you need joy and, above all, a love for sport and football. If you have this, everyone is warmly welcomed. We need people who feel that passion inside."
Be a Referee!
UEFA’s efforts to inspire young people to become match officials will continue all year round. Our Be a Referee! campaign is part of a wider UEFA programme to support national associations in their activities to recruit new referees.
The campaign aims to increase knowledge about refereeing, highlight the importance of referees for the game and inspire young people start a career as a match official. Our target is to register around 40,000 new referees per season.