{{Short description|American soccer referee}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox football official | name = Natalie Simon | image = File:Natalie Simon Gotham FC v Bay FC 25 Apr 2026-29.jpg | caption = Simon refereeing an NWSL match in April 2026 | fullname = | birth_date = <!-- {{birth date and age|||}} --> | birth_place = Louisiana, US | years1 = | league1 = NWSL | role1 = Referee | years2 = | league2 = USL Championship | role2 = Referee | years3 = 2020– | league3 = MLS | role3 = Fourth official | years4 = 2023– | league4 = MLS Next Pro | role4 = Referee | internationalyears1 = 2022– | confederation1 = FIFA listed | internationalrole1 = Referee }} '''Natalie Simon''' (born ''ca.'' 1989)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.infobae.com/aroundtherings/articles/2022/01/17/natalie-simon-becomes-the-first-black-woman-referee-in-the-united-states-to-earn-a-fifa-badge/ |title=Natalie Simon becomes the first black woman referee in the United States to earn a FIFA badge |date=January 17, 2022 |access-date=May 11, 2023 |work=infobae |first=Miguel |last=Hernández |quote=Referee Natalie Simon, 32, has become the first African-American woman to earn a FIFA badge, a distinction that qualifies her to take part in international matches and tournaments.}}</ref> is an American international soccer referee for the Professional Referee Organization of the United States. In 2022, she became one of four American women to hold a FIFA international refereeing badge, and the first African-American woman to do so.<ref name="lat-2022">{{cite news |date=January 12, 2022 |title=Referee Natalie Simon is first Black woman to earn FIFA badge: 'It’s kind of a miracle' |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2022-01-12/natalie-simon-first-black-woman-to-earn-fifa-badge |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112121851/https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2022-01-12/natalie-simon-first-black-woman-to-earn-fifa-badge |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |first=Kevin |last=Baxter |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wesh.com/article/natalie-simon/39564465 |title=Natalie Simon becomes first African-American woman to earn FIFA referee badge |date=April 4, 2022 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |work=WESH |first=Kendra |last=Douglas}}</ref>

== Early life == Simon was born in Louisiana, the descendant of slaves on both sides of her family, and is of Choctaw Native American heritage from her maternal great-grandmother. She began playing soccer at age 8 while still in Louisiana, then later attended high school and played travel team soccer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.<ref name="chastain-interview">{{cite interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PlBB-ahjxk |title=Brandis Corner: Referees in Soccer |date=May 17, 2022 |access-date=May 11, 2023 |work=Women in Soccer |interviewer-first=Brandi |interviewer-last=Chastain |interviewer-link=Brandi Chastain |first=Natalie |last=Simon}}</ref>

Simon went to college at Stetson University, where she also played soccer as a forward.<ref name="lat-2022"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/stetson-women-defeat-campbell_aid13280 |title=Stetson women defeat Campbell |date=November 3, 2009 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |work=TopDrawerSoccer.com}}</ref> Simon described her career as a player as being "a referee's worst nightmare... If I made it through a game without a yellow card, it was a good day."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=So You Want to Be A... Referee |work=Sports Illustrated |date=May 2023| volume=134 |number=4}}</ref> An assistant coach at Stetson was a referee assessor and recommended officiating to Simon as a way to remain engaged with soccer after graduation.<ref name="chastain-interview"/>

== Career == === Collegiate soccer === Simon joined the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) in 2015, which named her Region VI (Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina) Referee of the Year in 2019.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gouaoTEyYn0 |title=Black History Month {{!}} Natalie Simon |date=March 2, 2021 |access-date=May 11, 2023 |publisher=National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association |website=YouTube |first=Tori |last=Penso |author-link=Tori Penso}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nisoa.com/regional-referee-of-the-year-award |title=Regional Referee of the Year Award |access-date=May 11, 2023 |publisher=National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association}}</ref>

[[File:2022 NWSL Championship 49 - protest (cropped).jpg|thumb|Simon officiated the 2022 National Women's Soccer League championship match between Portland Thorns FC and Kansas City Current.]]

=== National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) === On May 8, 2021, Simon officiated the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup Championship, her first assignment for a tournament's finals.<ref name="pro-2021-cup">{{cite press release |url=https://proreferees.com/2021/05/08/crew-announced-for-2021-nwsl-challenge-cup-final/ |title=Crew announced for 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup Final |date=May 8, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |publisher=Professional Referee Organization}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.soccerwire.com/news/portland-thorns-fc-captures-2021-nwsl-challenge-cup-championship/ |title=Portland Thorns FC captures 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup Championship |date=May 9, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |work=SoccerWire}}</ref> On October 29, 2022, Simon officiated the 2022 NWSL championship match.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://proreferees.com/2022/10/28/2022-nwsl-championship-crew-announced/ |title=2022 NWSL Championship crew announced |date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=May 11, 2023 |publisher=Professional Referee Organization}}</ref>

=== Major League Soccer (MLS) === On September 16, 2023, Simon was assigned her first match as a referee in Major League Soccer. She took charge of the match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake. She was the first black woman to ever referee an MLS match. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Vertelney |first=Seth |title=Natalie Simon to become first Black woman to referee MLS match |url=https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/mls/2023/09/13/natalie-simon-first-black-woman-referee-mls/77423609007/ |access-date=2026-03-05 |website=Pro Soccer Wire |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== International officiating === In August 2019, Simon was one of 12 referees to participate in Concacaf's Program of Refereeing Excellence.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.concacaf.com/en/article/natalie-simon-refereeing-has-taken-my-love-for-the-game-to-the-next-level/ |title=Natalie Simon: "Refereeing has taken my love for the game to the next level" |date=August 1, 2019 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |publisher=Concacaf}}</ref>

On April 12, 2022, Simon officiated her first United States women's national soccer team match as a center referee.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=USWNT |author=United States Women's National Soccer Team |author-link=United States women's national soccer team |number=1514016596909514753 |date=April 12, 2022 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |title=Tonight’s center referee is Natalie Simon, the first Black woman to earn a FIFA badge.}}</ref>

On January 4, 2023, the United States Soccer Federation Referee Committee and FIFA re-appointed Simon to the 2023 FIFA Panel to officiate international matches.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2023/01/thirty-five-us-soccer-match-officials-named-to-2023-fifa-panel |title=Thirty-five U.S. Soccer Match Officials Named to 2023 FIFA Panel |date=January 4, 2023 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |publisher=United States Soccer Federation}}</ref> That list included Alyssa Nichols, the second Black American woman to earn a FIFA badge, who viewed Simon as a role model.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://andscape.com/features/fifa-referee-alyssa-nichols-is-aiming-for-the-world-cup/ |title=FIFA referee Alyssa Nichols is aiming for the World Cup |date=March 3, 2023 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |work=Andscape |first=Tamerra |last=Griffin |quote=Younger, Black, and Black women referees are trying to move up, and we tell them to reach out if they need help. For me, it was only Natalie who I was looking at, but for her, there was nobody else.}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category}} * {{Soccerway referee|natalie-simon/449562}} * [https://proreferees.com/roster/womens-fifa-panel/natalie-simon/ Professional Referee Organization profile] * [https://asunsports.org/sports/wsoc/2010-11/players/nataliesimonq5ix Stetson University player profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simon, Natalie}} Category:Living people Category:American soccer referees Category:Women association football referees Category:Women's association football referees Category:Stetson University alumni Category:American women referees and umpires Category:African-American referees and umpires Category:African-American soccer players Category:American women's soccer players Category:National Women's Soccer League referees Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Stetson Hatters women's soccer players Category:Major League Soccer referees