As Tori Penso blew the whistle alongside her assistants Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt ahead of the Group A match between Czechia and South Africa at Atlanta Stadium, it was only the second time a woman referee had officiated in a men’s FIFA World Cup match, and also the second time an all-woman trio had done so.
At the 2022 Qatar World Cup, French referee Stéphanie Frappart became the first woman referee to officiate in a men’s FIFA World Cup match when she took charge of the group stage match between Germany and Costa Rica.
Penso, 39, is one of two female referees assigned by FIFA for this World Cup out of a total of 52 referees, with Mexico’s Katia García being the other. Before making a career in refereeing, Penso worked as a marketing professional in an advertising agency.
“There were no full-time female referees in the States, and so I didn’t really see it as a career. I did understand, though, that it was more than just a temporary job for me, and that maybe it would enable me to get to know my country a bit better, and maybe even the world. I knew I couldn’t keep performing both activities to the best of my abilities, and I could see that professional refereeing opportunities were starting to open up to me, and so I made the decision, with the support of my family, to see how far it could take me. And it has given me more than I could ever imagine,” Penso had told FIFA in a 2023 interview.
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Born in Stuart, Florida, Penso initially played football after watching her brothers play, but soon shifted to refereeing local leagues after seeing her brothers doing the same job in their local town in 1999. That was also the year when the USA Women’s football team, led by Carla Overbeck, lifted the FIFA Women’s World Cup on home soil. Penso shared how Brandi Chastain’s winning penalty kick against China in the final inspired her.
“Quite simply, my mother didn’t want me to have bumps and bruises all over my legs, but I saw my two brothers kicking a ball around and all I cared about was doing the same. When I was 14, I told my mum I’d like to start earning some money for myself, and she replied, ‘You can do it on the pitches where you spend so much time already.’ And so I started refereeing matches for money – both boys’ and girls’ games. One of my favourite memories is Brandi Chastain’s celebration after scoring the penalty kick that sealed the win. It was the first time that I had viewed a woman as an athlete. It was inspiring, and it changed my whole perspective,” Penso said in her interview with FIFA.
Referee Tori Penso (C), assistant referees Kathryn Nesbitt (L) and Brooke Mayo, warm up before the World Cup Group A soccer match between Czechia and South Africa in Atlanta. (AP)
In an interview with FOX Sports earlier, Penso spoke about how she bought her first car with money earned from refereeing local leagues and how she always told parents about the need for children to learn football laws.
“I eventually bought my first car with the money, so it certainly gave me a sense of independence, not to mention all the intangible skills that you develop as an official – quick decision making with limited information, the courage to be out on that field, oftentimes in front of a lot of screaming parents – it built me with a lot of skills that I have taken on in my careers that I’ve had since,” Penso told FOX Sports.
Years later, Penso received an invitation for a refereeing camp run by the IOC’s Olympic Development Programme in Texas. The following years also saw her marry Chris Penso, an MLS referee and now a FIFA Video Assistant Referee, with whom Penso has three daughters.
In 2020, Penso created history by becoming the first woman in 20 years – after Sandy Hunt achieved the feat in 2000 – to officiate in a Major League Soccer match, officiating the game between Nashville FC and DC United.
In 2021, the American joined FIFA’s international referees list and soon led an all-female official team in a Concacaf World Cup qualifier, followed by her becoming the first woman referee to officiate in the FIFA Women’s World Cup final between Spain and England at Sydney in 2023.
Penso’s name was announced by Pierluigi Collina, the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, days before the final. She spoke about the emotions of officiating the historic final.
“It really was a very special moment for me, when Collina held up the jersey with the names of the teams in front of the whole group. I think all of us were salivating at the opportunity and the chance, and when he flipped it over to showcase my name, I melted. There’s nothing better than this moment that I’m living right now,” Penso told FOX Sports.
Since the Women’s World Cup final, Penso has also officiated at the Paris Olympics as well as the FIFA Club World Cup last year. This year, the American referee has officiated in nine matches in Major League Soccer, taking her total to 66 MLS matches. According to football site Playerstats, Penso has so far officiated in 129 matches in her international career, handing out 443 yellow cards and six red cards.
In her interview with FIFA, Penso shared how her youngest daughter had filled out a poster saying she wanted to be a referee.
“During the last SheBelieves Cup, the three of them filled out a poster where they had to complete the line ‘I believe that…’: my eight-year-old wrote that she would become a professional footballer, the six-year-old that she would play football and never give it up, and the five-year-old that she would become a referee. Of course, they’ll all have our complete support!” Penso told FIFA.
At the Penso home, the couple have discussions about refereeing as well. “I have healthy discussions about refereeing at home with Chris, who is also a FIFA Video Assistant Referee, and that helps me to see things from another perspective when taking charge of games,” Penso added.
The 39-year-old also carries a photo of her family for each of her matches, and that is what she would have carried ahead of Thursday’s game too. “A photo of my family, who accompany me everywhere I go. If it weren’t for them, I would never have been able to make this work,” Penso told FIFA.
Tori Penso became only the second woman referee to officiate in a FIFA men’s World Cup match. (AP) 
Referee Tori Penso (C), assistant referees Kathryn Nesbitt (L) and Brooke Mayo, warm up before the World Cup Group A soccer match between Czechia and South Africa in Atlanta. (AP)
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