Referees

MLS is Back final referee crew announced, with first woman to work MLS final

MLS Cup - 2020 - refs

The referee crew for Tuesday's MLS is Back Tournament Final matchup between the Portland Timbers and Orlando City SC has been announced, with Kathryn Nesbitt making history as the first female official to work the final of an MLS competition.


Ismail Elfath will be the center referee for the Final, joined by Nesbitt and Kyle Atkins as his assistant referees. 


Nesbitt becomes the first woman to officiate an MLS final, after serving as the reserve assistant referee for the 2018 MLS Cup Final. She has also worked as an assistant referee and AVAR throughout the MLS is Back Tournament, with this assignment taking her game tally for the competition into double figures.

The full refereeing crew for Tuesday's match can be found below.


  • REF: Ismail Elfath
  • AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt
  • AR2: Kyle Atkins
  • 4TH: Joe Dickerson
  • VAR: Allen Chapman
  • AVAR: Logan Brown