Olathe native picked as referee for FIFA World Cup ‘26. It will be his second one
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Olathe native Kyle Atkins named among eight U.S. referees for 2026 World Cup.
- Atkins joins 52 referees, 88 assistant refs and 30 video officials selected.
- Atkins has MLS, Olympic and 2022 World Cup VAR experience and a 2024 award.
One of America’s best soccer referees is from the Kansas City area — and now he has been selected to work his second FIFA World Cup.
Kyle Atkins, an Olathe native, is one of eight American referees who will be officiating matches during the 2026 World Cup
Atkins, 39, is a highly regarded assistant referee. He’s officiated more than 180 Major League Soccer matches since his 2014 debut and has been on the FIFA international panel since 2018. In 2024, he won the MLS Assistant Referee of the Year award.
Atkins has been a referee in several international competitions. He officiated at the 2021 Olympic Games and the 2022 World Cup, where he served as the offside video assistant referee for the final match between Argentina and France.
The Kansas State alum is one of 11 MLS referees who will be officiating on the international stage this summer. A total of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials from across all six FIFA confederations and 50 member associations were selected for duty during the international tourney.
