World Cup referee Tori Penso is paving the way for women

Tori Penso is paving the way for women in soccer officiating, highlighted by her historic progress in FIFA competitions. Weeks before turning 40, the Florida native became the first American woman—and only the second woman ever—to referee a men’s World Cup match. She also led the first all-American, all-female officiating crew in tournament history, overseeing two June group-stage games. Her milestones include serving as head referee for a senior World Cup final at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and becoming Major League Soccer’s first full-time female referee. This summer, she officiated two men’s FIFA World Cup matches, even though only six (3.5%) of 170 officials were women. In two games involving South Africa vs. Czech Republic and Ecuador vs. Germany, she booked seven players total and handled high-profile incidents, while garnering viral attention for her on-field communication.