Kathryn Nesbitt, pioneer in North America

Kathryn Nesbitt on Sunday became the first woman to be part of the refereeing team in a final of the MLS Cup after whistling the duel between Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders at Mapfre Stadium in Ohio and which ended up proclaiming the local team champion (3-0).

For the first time in the 25-year history of MLS, there was a woman on the Finals refereeing body, although this linesman, a native of Philadelphia and a chemistry teacher, was already in the MLS is Back Final between Portland Timbers and Orlando City, making her the first woman to officiate a men’s soccer final in the United States.

In 2019 she left her job as a professor at Towson University to focus entirely on umpiring.

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