Kari Seitz

Kari Seitz
Full name Kari Seitz
Born (1970-11-02) 2 November 1970 (age 55)
United States
Other occupation US Soccer Vice President of Refereeing
Domestic
Years League Role
National Women's Soccer League Referee
International
Years League Role
1999-2013 FIFA-listed Referee

Kari Seitz was an American professional soccer referee and the was one of the most experienced female referee in the world (out of the male and female referees).[1] She is currently the Vice President of Refereeing for US Soccer. [2]

Referee Career

She participated in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments in (1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011), as well as three Olympic soccer tournaments (2004, 2008, and 2012) and is the only referee — man or woman — to do so.[3][4][5]

In October 2013, she announced she would be retiring later in the month after a 28-year career. Her final assignments included the 2013 National Women's Soccer League championship match, the league's first.[1][6][7][8]

Seitz was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2026.[9]

Management

At the request of FIFA, in 2016 she began managing training for Women's Soccer Referees worldwide. She and her husband relocated to Switzerland in 2016 and she assumed her duties within the FIFA organization.

Seitz served in several different roles while working in FIFA. She was the Sr Manager of Refereeing from 2016-2019. She was a Group Leader of FIFA Refereeing until late 2020. She then transitioned to the FIFA Head of Refereeing for the women until 2024.[10]

Kari Seitz became the Vice President of Refereeing for US Soccer in April of 2024. [11]

References

  1. ^ a b "Longtime U.S. Soccer Referee Kari Seitz to Retire". U.S. Soccer Federation. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  2. ^ "Resource Center". ussoccer.com. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
  3. ^ "U.S. Soccer Centennial Referee Interview: Kari Seitz". U.S. Soccer Federation. Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  4. ^ Baxter, Kevin (28 July 2012). "Referee Kari Seitz has been there, done that". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  5. ^ "Kari Seitz". US Referee Connection. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  6. ^ "Kari Seitz to retire from center circle". Equalizer Soccer. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  7. ^ "U.S. referee Seitz to retire after historic career". Concacaf. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Most decorated international soccer referee in U.S. history to retire". Contra Costa Times. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  9. ^ "Kari Seitz Elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame | National Soccer Hall of Fame". Kari Seitz Elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame | National Soccer Hall of Fame. 2025-11-13. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
  10. ^ "Kari Seitz Elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame | National Soccer Hall of Fame". Kari Seitz Elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame | National Soccer Hall of Fame. 2025-11-13. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
  11. ^ "Resource Center". ussoccer.com. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kari_Seitz