Katia Itzel García made history on June 25 in Kansas City, becoming the first Mexican woman to referee a FIFA World Cup match. The 33-year-old officiated the group stage match between Tunisia and the Netherlands, joining a rare group of female referees in men's World Cup history, alongside Stéphanie Frappart and Tori Penso.
Since beginning her refereeing career in 2017, García earned her FIFA international badge in 2019. She broke new ground in March 2024 as the first female referee in Liga MX in over 20 years, and also officiated Liga de Expansión MX matches.
Before her historic appointment, she served as the fourth official during the June 14 match between the Netherlands and Japan. Her international experiences include officiating at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and involvement in the 2024 Olympics.
García, who holds a Political Science degree from UNAM, symbolizes FIFA’s commitment to gender parity, following the inclusion of female referees in the 2022 World Cup, where Frappart officiated a major match.