American Female Referee Tori Penso Set to Make World Cup History

American referee Tori Penso is set to make history at the ongoing FIFA World Cup by becoming the first American woman to officiate a men's World Cup match.

Her appointment will place her among a select group of female referees who have broken barriers in men's football. The historic breakthrough began at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, when female referees were assigned to officiate matches in the men's tournament for the first time.

The pioneering trio included Stéphanie Frappart of France, Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan and Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda, all of whom helped pave the way for greater female representation on football's biggest stage.

For Penso, officiating at the World Cup marks the most significant achievement of her refereeing career.

She began her professional refereeing journey in 2015 in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) before progressing to the USL Championship. In 2020, she became a referee in Major League Soccer (MLS), and a year later earned FIFA accreditation as an international referee.

Penso had already made history in 2023 when she officiated the final of the FIFA Women's World Cup, becoming the first American referee to take charge of a FIFA World Cup final.

At this year's World Cup, she is one of eight American match officials selected for the tournament, including referees, assistant referees and video match officials.

Reflecting on her achievement, Penso said she was “just an ordinary girl with big dreams” who reached this stage through hard work and determination. She added that one of her main goals is to help create opportunities and inspire future generations to pursue their ambitions.

Her appointment represents another milestone in the growing presence of women in elite football officiating and highlights FIFA's continued efforts to promote inclusivity at the highest level of the game. 

.MMR