American referee Tori Penso wrote this Thursday, June 18, a new chapter in the history of world soccer by becoming the second woman to officiate a match in a men’s World Cup. She was designated for the Group A match between South Africa and the Czech Republic, played in Atlanta.
Penso followed in the French woman’s footsteps Stéphanie Frappart, who was the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match, when she officiated the match between Germany and Costa Rica at Qatar 2022.
In sports, the game ended tied 1-1. Czech Republic opened the scoring with a goal from Michal Sadilek in the 6th minute, while South Africa equalized through a penalty scored by Teboho Mokoena in the 83rd minute.
Penso directed the match along with his assistants Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt, with whom he formed an American referee team. Penso’s international tour includes five matches at the Costa Rica 2022 U-20 Women’s World Cup, including a semifinal.
In the group standings, the tie left both teams in a complicated situation. After two days, South Africa is in last place with one point, while the Czech Republic is third, also with one point. Mexico and South Korea lead the group with three points each, awaiting their direct confrontation.
The designation of Tori Penso constitutes a relevant fact in international arbitration and expands the participation of women in high-level competitions in world football.