{"id":183419,"date":"2026-06-26T15:41:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T19:41:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nuevaonda.com\/heres-how-mexican-referee-katia-itzel-garcia-made-her-historic-debut-at-the-2026-world-cup\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T16:39:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T20:39:58","slug":"heres-how-mexican-referee-katia-itzel-garcia-made-her-historic-debut-at-the-2026-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nuevaonda.com\/en\/heres-how-mexican-referee-katia-itzel-garcia-made-her-historic-debut-at-the-2026-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s how Mexican referee Katia Itzel Garc\u00eda made her historic debut at the 2026 World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mexican referee Katia Itzel Garc\u00eda wrote an unforgettable chapter in soccer history by becoming the first Mexican woman to serve as the head referee in a 2026 FIFA<\/a> World Cup match. Her performance in the match between the Netherlands and Tunisia, played in Kansas City, marked a historic moment for both Mexican refereeing and Mexican sports.<\/p>\n

From the moment she stepped onto the field, Katia Itzel made an impression that caught the attention of thousands of fans. Her uniform featured details in the colors of the Mexican flag on her shoulders and shorts\u2014a symbolic touch that marked a day that will go down in her career.<\/p>\n

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A debut with key moments<\/h2>\n
\"Katia
PHOTO: Marca M\u00e9xico’s Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The referee, a graduate of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), exuded confidence from the very first minute of the match.<\/p>\n

Just three minutes into the game, he awarded the first goal of the match following an own goal by Tunisian captain Ellyes Skhiri\u2014a decision that did not spark any controversy.<\/p>\n

One of the most striking moments came in the 11th minute, when he accidentally found himself in the path of a play.<\/p>\n

Dutch defender Nathan Ak\u00e9 was unable to avoid contact and ended up knocking her down as both players were trying to regain their footing during a counterattack.<\/p>\n

The incident was just a footnote, and the game continued without any major complications (Filed under: Katia Itzel Garc\u00eda Makes History).<\/p>\n

Constant communication and support from the VAR<\/h2>\n
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A post shared by Bennelly Hern\u00e1ndez \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd (@bennelly_hdz)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n