Five women make history officiating 2026 World Cup match

History was made at the 2026 World Cup in Atlanta as an all-female officiating team took charge of the group stage match between the Czech Republic and South Africa. This milestone reflects FIFA's ongoing commitment to increasing female representation in international refereeing.

The officiating crew was led by American head referee Tori Penso, a 39-year-old Florida native with a decorated career, including the 2023 Women's World Cup final. She was assisted by fellow Americans Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt. The team also included fourth official Sandra Ramírez from Mexico and video official Tatiana Guzmán from Nicaragua.

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It was good that it did not wait and that a new moment could begin.

Penso's journey to the World Cup stage began informally at age 14, refereeing local matches to earn pocket money. Despite studying advertising, her passion for football led her to dedicate herself fully to refereeing. In 2020, she became the first woman in over two decades to officiate an MLS match.

The match itself concluded in a 1-1 draw. A pivotal moment came in the second half when Penso awarded a penalty to South Africa. Teboho Mokoena successfully converted the spot-kick, securing the draw for the African team and keeping their hopes of advancing in the tournament alive. The penalty decision was reviewed by VAR.

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I started refereeing men's and women's football matches informally when I was just 14 years old, as a way to earn some money for my expenses.