Katia Itzel García: The Mexican referee revolutionizing football

Itzel García has been a rising star in Mexican football, and her refereeing debut in Liga MX earlier in 2024 caused much controversy. Will we see a change in referring dynamics across FIFA leagues?

Itzel García made her official debut as head referee of a Liga MX match during the 2024 Clausura Tournament, which saw Pachuca face Querétaro on March 10th, 2024. According to the Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, she was given the game for International Women's Day.

It was a historic debut for García, making her the second woman to ever referee a game. Virginia Tovar was the first female referee to take on a Liga MX fixture, back in 2004.

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Nevertheless, she became the first female referee to corroborate a decision with VAR, after Francisco Venegas touched the ball with his hand.

On April 12, Itzel García refereed the Puebla and Cruz Azul fixture as her second game in the Liga MX. She was tangled in some late-game drama following a controversial penalty call that gave Cruz Azul an important victory.

In the dying minutes of the game, García signaled to the Puebla 9-yard box after a controversial handball. Both local fans and players rushed the referee in anger.

With the match in a 0-0 stalemate and approaching the 90th minute, Antuna drilled the penalty into the Puebla goal. Cruz Azul snatched three points in a very controversial penalty.

Itzel García went to the VAR to review the play. After making the penalty call, she was rushed by Puebla players protesting in anger. Sebastián Olmedo completely lost his composure and pushed the Mexican referee, which earned him a yellow card.

The Mexican referee stood her ground and did not let Sebastián Olmedo step on her feet, immediately booking the player.

But who is Katia Itzel García? The new refereeing sensation was born in Mexico City on September 1, 1992, and has been an international referee since 2019.

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She was a student at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where she first studied Public Administration, at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, and later Law.

(Photo: Instagram Katia Itzel Garcia)

She began her amateur refereeing career in 2015 at the age of 23, making quite an impression in the Mexican 'lower categories' In 2016, she made a big leap into the international stage.

"The politics of decision-making and ultimately, making the right decision and performing justice are just some of the things I do. Referees are the ones in charge of enforcing rules and making sure things work during a game," she shared during an interview for ESPN.

She has participated in the 2022-2023 Concacaf Nations League, the 2022 Concacaf Women's Under-20 Championship, the 2022 Concacaf Women's Championship, the 2022 Concacaf Women's World Cup 2022, the 2023 Australia and New Zealand World Cup, and the 2024 Concacaf Women's Gold Cup.

Furthermore, she refereed the 2022 Concacaf Women's Championship, which the United States won against Canada; and the 2022 U-17 Women's World Cup, in which Spain defeated Colombia in that match refereed by Itzel García; in addition to other finals (always female) of the Liga MX or the Campeón de Campeones.

A curriculum that has allowed her to make the leap from women's soccer to men's soccer, matching the success of Virginia Tovar and that of other women who, little by little, are breaking records.

"In the Referees Commission what we designate is capacity, not gender. Capacity is what puts them in the games they are designated. After more than 19 years without a central referee in the First Division, in Mexican soccer, we decided to appoint Katia Itzel García," commented Armando Archundia, current president of the Referees Commission, according to ESPN.

Itzel García has shown the world that she has what it takes and that she is not afraid to make controversial calls when necessary. Will we see more of García in the future? Let us know what you think in the comments!

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