Katia Itzel García to make history as first Mexican central referee at 2026 World Cup

Katia Itzel García is set to make history as the first Mexican central referee appointed by FIFA for a World Cup. She will represent Mexico at the 2026 North America World Cup, alongside César Ramos Palazuelos, making them the only two central referees from the country on the list of 52 officials.

The Mexico City native, an alumna of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), has a scheduled debut at the tournament. FIFA has announced that García will be the fourth official for the match between the Netherlands and Japan at the Dallas stadium in Arlington on Sunday, June 14, at 2:00 PM Central Mexico time.

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worked very hard

While this appointment marks a significant milestone, García will not be the head referee for this particular match. She will still need to wait for an opportunity to officiate as the main referee in a 2026 North America World Cup game. This upcoming match will make Katia Itzel the only Mexican central referee to officiate in a FIFA World Cup.

It's important to note that Karen Janett Díaz previously made history at Qatar 2022 as the first Mexican female assistant referee in a World Cup. Three and a half years prior, Díaz, along with Brazil's Neuza Back and France's Stephanie Frappart, formed the first all-female officiating trio in a men's World Cup match between Costa Rica and Germany.

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A joy to be able to live my greatest dream