The Women’s Initiative is a program for women, by women. The purpose of this initiative is to provide opportunities and resources to the women of the refereeing community and to build a community of their own where they feel supported and challenged. The Women’s Initiative strives to advocate for the needs of women while encouraging them to grow and continue their journey through the referee or referee coach pathway. This initiative includes online as well as in-person programming, spanning from monthly Zoom meetings to development academies with partners such as USYS and Nike. You can learn more about some of our recent events below.

Women's Initiative Academies

Through partnerships with USYS, Nike, and more, the Women's Initiative is able to host officials at tournaments across the country. These officials get to referee matches with an all-female crew, attend classroom development sessions, and participate in practical trainings with U.S. Soccer staff and esteemed referee coaches.

• Nike Premier Cup (July 2025): 12 referees were invited to Nike World Headquarters to officiate an international U15 tournamentin Portland, OR.
• USYS Quarterfinals and Semifinals (January/February 2025):As part of our partnership with U.S.YouthSoccer, the Women’s Initiative sent 32 referees to the USYS Quarter and Semifinals in Mesa, AZ and Round Rock, TX, respectively. During the day, the group officiated games with fully female crews and attended development sessions each night. Standout referees from both groups were given other opportunities, such as officiating the National League Finals in Oceanside, CA or participating in our exchange program with the Japanese Football Association.

Referee Experience at WNT Matches

At each Women’s National Team friendly, the local State Referee Committee brings a group of up-and-coming women referees to meet and network with the FIFA crew pre-match. These referees get to walk the pitch with the FIFA officials and ask questions about their career and beyond. The attendees also get to attend a debrief with the assigned referee coach before they head to the stands to cheer on the USWNT.

Women's Initiative Monthly Meetings

Each month, the Women's Initiative meets to hear from a variety of guests, ranging from current and former FIFA officials, FIFA Instructors, and more. Recent topics have included mental performance, fitness, work-life balance as a mother, as well as presentations on positioning and communication. 

NEXT MEETING:

• Tuesday, September 9th: Player Management with Alex Billeter and Alyssa Pennington (FIFA Referees)

PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

• August 2025: Career Experience with Danielle Chesky and Meghan Mullen (FIFA Referee and FIFA AR)
• July 2025: PRO Pathway with Erich Simmons (Manager of PRO2 Referees)
• June 2025: Mental Performance Workshop with Toni Owens (CEO of Evolve1)
• May 2025: Mental Performance Basics with Toni Owens (CEO of Evolve1)
• April 2025: Nutrition with Serra Tumay (Founder of Tohum Nutrition)
• March 2025: Referee and AR Communicationwith Alex Billeter and Jennifer Garner (FIFA Referee and FIFA AR)