Katia Itzel García, the Mexican referee taking over football

Controversy
Liga MX referee
Historic moment
First female referee to use VAR
A tense second game
Conflict with the players
Controversial penalty
Sebastián Olmedo's reaction
She was not having any of it
A revelation
Graduate in Law and Public Administration
A big jump
Finding balance
Participations in international tournaments
Finals expert
Breaking barriers
Meritocracy
A promising future
Controversy

Katia Itzel García has been a sensation in Mexican football for some time now, with the referee sparking controversy on her league debut.

Liga MX referee

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.

Historic moment

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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First female referee to use VAR

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

 

A tense second game

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.

Conflict with the players

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.

 

Controversial penalty

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.

Sebastián Olmedo's reaction

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.

She was not having any of it

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

A revelation

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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Graduate in Law and Public Administration

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)

A big jump

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.

Finding balance

"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.

Participations in international tournaments

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.

 

Finals expert

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.

Breaking barriers

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.

Meritocracy

"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.

A promising future

After her first two games in Liga MX, Itzel García has shown the world 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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