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.
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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.
