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Tori Penso Biography – Tori Penso Wiki
Tori Penso, an esteemed American soccer referee, embarked on her officiating journey at the tender age of 14. Since 2013, she has held the distinction of being a FIFA referee, overseeing matches in Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League. Her expertise was showcased on the international stage at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, held in New Zealand and Australia. Originally from Florida, Penso is already on the roster to officiate at the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Referee Career Beginnings
Her initial foray into soccer began at age 10 when her mother permitted her to play the sport. Her family played a pivotal role in her refereeing path, with her brothers already officiating in local leagues around Stuart, Florida, where she spent her formative years. As Penso recounted to FIFA.com, at 14, she was eager to earn her own money. Her mom suggested she capitalize on her frequent presence at the pitches by refereeing, and soon she was officiating both boys’ and girls’ games for a paycheck.
By 18, her earnings from refereeing not only allowed her to purchase her first car, but also led to an invitation to a refereeing camp hosted by the Olympic Development Program in Texas. At the time, she balanced playing soccer with pursuing a marketing degree, without yet envisioning refereeing as a full-fledged career. A pivotal moment came when she met Chris Penso, a fellow referee and her future husband. Together, they would go on to have three daughters, with Tori eventually deciding to leave her advertising role to focus on officiating.
Trailblazer
Penso’s decision in 2019 to transition from hobbyist to professional referee marked the beginning of significant achievements in her career. In September 2020, she shattered a two-decade ceiling by becoming the first woman to referee an MLS game. Her trailblazing continued in 2021 when she became the first woman to officiate a FIFA World Cup qualifying match and led an all-female team in a men’s competition governed by Concacaf.
The year 2022 saw Penso take charge of five matches at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, including a seminal semi-final. Her expertise was further recognized at the FIFA World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, where she officiated the final match between Spain and England on August 20, 2023, in Sydney, Australia.
Penso also officiated at the 2024 Olympics in France. In 2025, she was one of 35 referees to work the FIFA Club World Cup. She is set to make history as the first American woman to oversee a men’s World Cup match at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
FIFA World Cup 2026
Florida native Tori Penso is set to become the first American woman to be the head referee in a men’s World Cup match at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. While Penso will be the first American woman to work as the head referee on a men’s World Cup game, Kathryn Nesbitt was the first to work a men’s World Cup match in an official capacity, serving as an assistant referee in Qatar in 2022. Nesbitt will also be an assistant referee in this World Cup. In 2022, France’s Stéphanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match.
The FIFA Team One cohort includes 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, who hail from all six confederations and 50 Member Associations, in what is the most comprehensive line-up of match officials in FIFA World Cup™ history. The appointments were made on the basis of FIFA’s long-standing “quality first” principle, while consideration was given to the consistency of the performances delivered by candidates at FIFA tournaments, as well as in international and domestic competitions in recent years.
Tori Penso Age
She was born Mary Victoria Hancock on July 8, 1986, in Stuart, Florida, United States. She is 39 years old.
Tori Penso Husband
Referee Tori Penso is married to her husband, Chris Penso, also a professional referee. He has worked professional matches since 2009 in the Major League Soccer (MLS) and various international competitions. The couple met at Florida State University.
Tori Penso Family
FIFA referee Tori Penso and her husband, Chris Penso, have three daughters.
Salary
At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the tournament’s managerial body set a $70,000 basic pay for match referees. A match referee is paid $3,000 for the group stage and $10,000 for the playoffs or final, as per the publication as. A referee who officiates all competitions, including the final, can earn up to $300,000.
Tori Penso Height
US referee Tori Penso is 6-foot-tall.