After all that, the United States is still going to the World Cup final.
Referee Tori Penso and assistant referees Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt will make up most of the refereeing crew for Sunday’s final between England and Spain.
The appointment is the first of its nature at a women’s or men’s World Cup final for a referee from the United States.
The trio of U.S. natives will be joined on the field by Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan, who will operate as the fourth official on the day. Another American, Armando Villarreal, has been assigned the role of Support Video Assistant Referee, placing him in the VAR booth at Stadium Australia.
Penso has been a busy woman since the knockout rounds began. She was the referee for England’s 3-1 semifinal win over Australia, as well as France’s round of 16 victory over Morocco. Overall, the final will be the fifth game Penso has officiated at this World Cup.
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) August 18, 2023
Penso is no stranger to making history. She was the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup qualifier, taking charge of a June 2021 first round match between Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
Nine months earlier, she was the center referee for an MLS match between Nashville SC and D.C. United, making her the first woman to get that role in the league in 20 years. Per the Professional Referees Organization, Penso has officiated 18 MLS matches, and was also the head referee for the 2021 NWSL Championship game.
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