Female Referees Set To Officiate In 2024 Copa America

CONMEBOL announced on Friday that the upcoming Copa America will feature female referees for the first time in the history of the continental men’s football tournament.

The Copa America tournament, taking place from June 20 to July 14 and hosted by the United States, will feature a total of 101 match officials, with eight of them being women.

Among the referees for the tournament are Edina Alves from Brazil and Maria Victoria Penso from the United States. They will be assisted by Tatiana Guzman from Nicaragua, who will serve as a VAR official.

Neuza Back from Brazil, Mary Blanco from Colombia, Migdalia Rodriguez from Venezuela, and Americans Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt will participate as assistant referees in the Copa America tournament.

“This is a significant commitment undertaken by CONMEBOL since 2016,” CONMEBOL said in a statement. “Aiming at the development and professionalization of more women on and off the field, promoting gender equality in various tournaments.”

In 2021, Alves made history as the first woman to officiate a senior men’s FIFA tournament at the Club World Cup. Back and Nesbitt were referees at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Penso, Mayo, and Nesbitt have been chosen as match officials for the 2024 Olympic football tournament in France.