Tori Penso becomes first woman to referee at 2026 World Cup

Tori Penso will referee the group-stage match between Czech Republic and South Africa on June 18, 2026, making her the first American woman to officiate a men’s FIFA World Cup match. She is only the second woman in history to take charge of a game at the men’s tournament.

From Stuart, Florida to the World Cup stage

Born Mary Victoria Hancock in Stuart, Florida, in 1986, Penso picked up a whistle at 14. Her path from youth officiating to the World Cup was neither short nor simple. Penso worked her way through multiple tiers of American soccer, including the National Women’s Soccer League, the USL Championship, and Major League Soccer.

In 2020, she became the first woman to referee an MLS regular-season match in two decades. By 2021, she had earned FIFA status, the governing body’s stamp of approval that qualifies referees for international duty. Then came the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, where Penso served as the first American referee to officiate the tournament’s championship match.

A World Cup built for bigger moments

The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico and features an expanded 48-team format, up from the traditional 32. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw the first female referees appointed to the tournament, with Stéphanie Frappart of France becoming the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match when she took charge of a group-stage game. Penso is now the second.

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