Women present at Qatar 2022! This is the first time in the history of men's FIFA World Cups that there will be women referees. This is even more significant, as this edition takes place in a country with strong gender restrictions.
Six women have been chosen to perform this important role in the matches and one of them is a Spanish speaker: Mexican Karen Díaz Medina. Here we tell you her incredible story of passion and how she became a referee at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
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Karen Díaz is 38 years old and her participation in the Qatar 2022 World Cup made history. Photo: El Milenio
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Who is Mexican referee Karen Díaz Medina?
Karen Janet Díaz Medina was born in Aguascalientes and is 38 years old. With a professional career of 12 years, her passion for football was born when she was a child, thanks to her father, who broke the family tradition of charrería.
However, school was always her priority, so she finished her studies in Agroindustrial Engineering and dedicated herself to it before becoming a referee. In an interview with the Mexican Football Federation, Díaz mentions that she was paid only 55 Mexican pesos for her first match as a referee and the opportunity arose unexpectedly.
Karen Díaz Medina chose her passion
From the moment she worked as a referee, her life changed. Díaz Medina decided to focus solely on this career. "My boss told me 'refereeing or work' and I didn't hesitate for a second. 'I prefer refereeing'". After this decision and hard work, Karen made her professional debut in 2009.
In 2016, she participated for the first time in the Liga MX, the highest category of Mexican football, during the regular season match between Pachuca and León. Since then, she has participated in six league tournaments.
Karen Díaz Medina has participated as a referee in six Liga MX tournaments. Photo: Record
International career
But her work became even more recognized when she refereed in three international championships: the Barranquilla 2018 Central American Games, the 2018 Concacaf U-20 Women's Championship, and the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Women's Championship.
The Mexican received her FIFA badge for the first time in 2018. "I see it as a great responsibility, with that I mark it. Being aware that we are responsible for doing it well, thanking it and that our colleagues continue doing their first times," she says in the interview with the FMF.
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Karen Medina's story is a source of inspiration for future generations. Photo: Milenio
Thus, Karen Díaz Medina became the first Latin American female referee to participate in a World Cup, being part of the refereeing team for the Morocco vs Croatia match, corresponding to Group F of Qatar 2022. Without a doubt, her story marks a new generation of women who seek change by pursuing their dreams.