When Tori Penso, Kathryn Nesbitt and Brooke Mayo stepped onto the pitch in Atlanta Stadium to facilitate the coin toss between South Africa and Czechia on Thursday, they smiled at each other.
It was not their first time making history together on the largest world stage.
Three years ago, the trio was selected to cover the 2023 Women’s World Cup final in Australia and New Zealand, marking the first time an all-female American crew officiated a Women’s World Cup final. Now they have hit the next big milestone by being the first all-female American crew to be assigned to a Men’s World Cup match, and the second all-female crew to officiate a Men’s World Cup match — the first being at the Qatar World Cup in 2022, with Nesbitt among the referees.
“I always knew my ultimate professional goal was to officiate at the FIFA Men’s World Cup. I have always been committed to paving the path for the next generation,” Penso said in a statement before the tournament started.
“This is the dream I’ve been working toward.”
That dream started one year after North America won the bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was 2019 and Penso was watching the Women’s World Cup unfolding in France from the comfort of her home, with her husband and three young daughters. Inspired by coverage of female referees at the tournament, she started to consider that she could turn her part-time refereeing passion into a full-time career.
She made the leap one year later — by 2020 she was refereeing the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and became the first full-time female referee in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Six years later, Penso says she is “more than ready for this moment. We have been training, studying, preparing over the last several years in the buildup to this World Cup.”
She added: “I am surrounded by the most talented people in the world … our years of experience will shine.”
Penso’s experience indeed shone throughout Thursday’s match. As the game drew to a close, she called a decisive foul for South Africa inside Czechia’s box in the 83rd minute.
Amid the crowd of more than 67,000 fans yelling their support or opposition, Penso coolly stuck to her instincts and after briefly consulting VAR, confirmed the penalty kick would be taken. South Africa took full advantage to equalize with Czechia, bringing the final score to a 1-1 draw.
Penso has said she’s prepared for tough moments on the pitch, and reminds herself it’s a privilege to be there. “Getting opportunities at the highest level has been what I’ve been fighting for my entire career,” she said.
Before leaving for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, she said she looked forward to the day when women refereeing men’s matches would be normalized.
Thursday’s milestone indicates progress toward that inevitable day, but there’s still work to be done.
“Female officials are capable, whether that be physically or mentally or technically. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far and there’s still so much for us to do,” she said before the start of this World Cup.
Penso has said there’s a common saying among referees: “You’re only as good as your last game.”
Until her next match, she can leave Atlanta confident that she’s right where she needs to be — at the very top.
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