By Joiner Martínez
Jun 21, 2024, 10:41 PM EDT
The Brazilians Edina Alves and Neuza Back made history this Friday at the Copa América in the United States 2024, when the 0-0 draw between Peru and Chile became the first women to make up the refereeing body of a match in the most important national team tournament. ancient of the world.
Alves, 44, and Back, 39, served as fourth and fifth referees, respectively, during the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The Brazilian Edina Alves and the American Maria Penso will be the main referees and will be accompanied by Neuza Back, Mary Blanco, Migdalia Rodríguez, Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt as assistants, while the Nicaraguan Tatiana Guzmán will serve as video assistant referee (VAR by its acronym in English).
In the coming weeks, viewers around the world will be able to watch eight women officiate matches organized by CONCACAF and CONMEBOL in various matches that will take place in 14 cities across the country.
Who will be the referees at the Copa América 2024?
For the first time in history, the men’s CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 will have the presence of female referees, they are:
Edina Alves – Brazil (Referee)
Neuza Back – Brazil (Assistant)
Mary Blanco – Colombia (Assistant)
Migdalia Rodríguez – Venezuela (Assistant)
On the part of CONCACAF they will be:
Maria Penso – United States (Referee)
Brooke Mayo – United States (Assistant)
Kathryn Nesbitt – United States (Assistant)
Tatiana Guzmán – Nicaragua (VAR)
The struggle of the pioneers has been fundamental for this sport to gradually make its way and break down a large number of prejudices.
In 2021, Edina Alves Batista, the Brazilian referee who will also be present at the 2024 Copa América, made history by becoming the first woman to officiate a match at the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Qatar 2022 World Cup witnessed several historic milestones in football, including the participation of the Japanese Yamashita Yoshimi, the French Stéphanie Frappart, the Rwandan Salima Mukansanga, the Mexican Karen Díaz Medina, the Brazilian Neuza Back and the American Kathryn Nesbitt as referees, marking a before and after in women’s refereeing at a global level.
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