{{short description|Honduran football referee}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{BLP sources|date=October 2016}} {{family name hatnote|Borjas|Pastrana|lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox football official | name = Melissa Borjas | image = Melissa Borjas (2019).jpg | caption = Borjas in 2019 | fullname = Melissa Paola Borjas Pastrana | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|10|20|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/videos/y=2015/m=6/video=referees-in-canada-2015tm-melissa-paola-borjas-2620517.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711165451/http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/videos/y=2015/m=6/video=referees-in-canada-2015tm-melissa-paola-borjas-2620517.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 July 2015|title=Referees in Canada 2015™: MELISSA PAOLA BORJAS|date=4 June 2015|work=FIFA.com|accessdate=11 July 2015}}</ref> | birth_place = Tegucigalpa, Honduras | death_date = | death_place = | otheroccupation = | years1 = 2013– | league1 = | role1 = Referee | internationalyears1 = 2013– | confederation1 = FIFA listed | internationalrole1 = Referee | internationalyears2 = | confederation2 = | internationalrole2 = }}
'''Melissa Paola Borjas Pastrana''' (born 20 October 1986) is a Honduran football referee. She earned a degree in finance at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, and has been a professional referee since 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/referee-melissa-borjas-of-honduras-in-action-during-the-news-photo/477358754|title=Getty Images|accessdate=11 July 2015}}</ref> She has been on the FIFA International Referees List since 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/videos/referees-in-canada-2015tm-melissa-paola-borjas-2620517|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627153440/https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/videos/referees-in-canada-2015tm-melissa-paola-borjas-2620517|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 June 2019|title=Referees in Canada 2015™: MELISSA PAOLA BORJAS |last=FIFA.com|website=www.fifa.com|language=en-GB|access-date=27 June 2019}}</ref>
== Career == Borjas was the first female referee to officiate a match in Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras, the top flight of men's football in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/news/thu-153-melissa-borjas-refereeing-2932567|title=Women's Football - News - Refereeing in the genes for Borjas |last=FIFA.com|website=www.fifa.com|language=en-GB|access-date=27 June 2019}}</ref> She then became the first female official to referee a final match in Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras when she officiated the first leg of the 2019 spring final between local teams Olimpia and Motagua on 26 May 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Melissa+Borjas/Ecuador+v+Japan+Group+C+FIFA+Women+World+Cup/I4Tp_NMQEwu|title=Melissa Borjas Photos - Ecuador v Japan: Group C - FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 - Zimbio|work=Zimbio|accessdate=11 July 2015}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=July 2015}}
In 2015, she became the first Honduran woman to referee at the FIFA Women's World Cup when she officiated a match between Japan and Ecuador.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} She was again appointed as a referee for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/news/match-officials-appointed-for-fifa-women-s-world-cup-france-2019tm|title=FIFA Women's World Cup 2019™ - News - Match officials appointed for FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™ |last=FIFA.com|website=www.fifa.com|language=en-GB|access-date=24 June 2019}}</ref> After the conclusion of the round of 16, she was selected as one of 11 referees who would officiate during the knockout stages.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/2828b48446f280f9/original/b7h9pras9shxrwulsfux-pdf.pdf|title=Refereeing - Media briefing|date=26 June 2019|website=FIFA.com|access-date=26 June 2019}}</ref>
On 9 January 2023, FIFA appointed her to the officiating pool for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.<ref name="fifa-2023">{{Cite press release |date=9 January 2023 |title=Match officials appointed for FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ |publisher=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/technical/refereeing/news/match-officials-appointed-for-fifa-womens-world-cup-australia-and-new |access-date=9 January 2023}}</ref>
Borjas was appointed to the officiating pool at the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup and was also chosen to officiate the final between the United States and Brazil in San Diego on March 10, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-12 |title=Game Details |url=https://www.concacaf.com/en/w-gold-cup/game-details/ |access-date=2024-03-25 |website=Concacaf |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{2023 FIFA Women's World Cup referees}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Borjas, Melissa}} Category:Living people Category:1986 births Category:Honduran football referees Category:Women association football referees Category:Sportspeople from Tegucigalpa Category:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras alumni Category:Women referees and umpires Category:2015 FIFA Women's World Cup referees Category:2019 FIFA Women's World Cup referees Category:2023 FIFA Women's World Cup referees Category:Football referees at the 2020 Summer Olympics
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