Tori Penso Makes History as Second Woman Referee in Men's World Cup

Referee Tori Penso jogs flanked by assistant referees Kathryn Nesbitt, left, and Brooke Mayo during warmup before the World Cup Group A football match between Czechia and South Africa in Atlanta, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo)

When Tori Penso whistled the start of the clash between Czechia and South Africa in Atlanta, it was not just the start of another group-stage fixture. It was history being created as women took centrestage at the biggest football event. Alongside assistant referees Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt, Penso became only the second woman referee to officiate in a men’s World Cup, following in the footsteps of French referee Stephanie Frappart at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. For over 90 years at the FIFA World Cup, there were no women referees officiating at the highest level of the game. Now, there are six in a single edition, all ready to prove they are as good as anyone else in the business. This is women empowerment in the true sense. Penso came up with a flawless performance. Her anticipation was good. She was at the right position, at the right time, and the numerous short sprints showed that her fitness was top-notch. It looks easy on TV, but the stop-run, stop-run action takes quite an effort. It’s taxing. But when a counter-attack is launched, it’s easy to run some distance with the same tempo. This is a huge move for women referees. Professionalisation of women’s refereeing has played a large factor in the new ability of women’s referees to officiate at the highest level. Credit to FIFA for making the right choice, after high intensity training, workshops and mentorship over the years. Huge credit to them for trusting women to deliver. They made the right choice. Penso has been among the best officials in the world. But having been a referee assessor and referee instructor for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) myself, I am certain she’s had to work hard for it. You’ll be surprised to know that the focus on being at the World Cup, the pinnacle for any sportsperson, is so much that you cannot even afford a small picnic. Your fitness is monitored every single day. It’s not just physical preparedness that is the need of the hour. You must have a thorough understanding of the game. With the world watching, there is no scope to make a mistake. You need to have the right mentality too. Fitness is achievable with rigorous training, you can read the rules of the game, but mentality cannot be practiced. It’s within you; everything is in your hands, or rather your mind. At the highest level, it’s what matters the most. I am glad that it was a flawless performance from the team of women officials. They set the bar high and proved that women can officiate at the highest level. Of course, it’s not easy for a woman in a men’s game, but if there’s an example of just how well women can do the job, it was right in front of us. Penso is an inspiration for women referees across the world. This won’t be the only time you will see women referees at the men’s World Cup. Penso and others have ensured there is more to come.(A former India captain and FIFA referee, Maria Rebello spoke to Marcus Mergulhao)