Female referee to officiate a men's first division match in Mexico for the first time in 20 years

Thu, Mar 7, 2024
Soccer News (AP)

MEXICO CITY (AP) - A female referee was appointed Thursday to officiate a men's first division match in Mexico for the first time in 20 years.

Katia Itzel Garcia will referee the match between Pachuca and Queretaro in the 11th round of the Clausura tournament.

The 31-year-old Garcia has had a FIFA referees' badge since 2019 and worked at last year's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. She also was the main referee in the match between the United States and Canada in the Gold Cup semifinals.

The first woman in Mexico to referee a men's first division match was Virginia Tovar, who did it on Feb. 22, 2004, in a match between America and Irapuato.

Tovar worked only one men's match and retired four years later.

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