ATLANTA – American referee Tori Penso and assistant referees Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt made history at the FIFA World Cup on Thursday as the first all-American, all-female officiating trio to oversee a men’s tournament match, taking charge of the Group A encounter between Czechia and South Africa in Atlanta.
The landmark appointment marked another milestone for women’s representation in elite football officiating, with Penso becoming only the second woman to referee a men’s World Cup match after France’s Stéphanie Frappart at the 2022 tournament.
Penso, Mayo and Nesbitt have previously worked together on major international assignments, including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final and the 2025 U.S. Open Cup final. Their selection for the Czechia-South Africa clash highlighted FIFA’s growing confidence in female officials on football’s biggest stage.
Read More
- Liverpool fight back from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 in Champions League thriller
- Arshdeep Singh just five wickets away from becoming first Indian with 150 T20I scalps
- Schedule unveiled for ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup 2027
- Boland shines as South Africa struggle against Australia
- Portuguese FA suspends Cristiano Ronaldo for 30 days, imposes €255 fine
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, but the occasion will be remembered as a significant step forward for gender inclusion in world football.
