Who is Tori Penso? Meet the referee behind historic World Cup moment

On Thursday, Tori Penso lifted the whistle to her lips and signaled the start of the major Group A clash between Czechia and South Africa at Atlanta Stadium, a simple action that marked a historic shift for the sport.

This marks the second time that an all-female team had taken control of a men’s World Cup fixture after the monumental achievement of French referee Stephanie Frappart at the 2022 World Cup.

The 39-year-old American has stepped into football history. Penso became only the second woman referee to oversee a men’s World Cup game.

Penso was born in Stuart, and her first connection with football came through her older brothers. She originally envisioned playing the game herself.

But at the age of 14, she followed her mother's advice and decided to referee youth-a choice matches that would shape the rest of her life.

Penso said: “It was the first time that I had viewed a woman as an athlete. It was inspiring, and it changed my whole perspective."

“Quick decision-making with limited information, the courage to be out on that field, often in front of a lot of screaming parents — it built me with a lot of skills that I have taken on in my career since,” she told FOX Sports.

She became the first woman in two decades to referee a Major League Soccer match in 2020, taking charge of Nashville SC’s clash with D.C. United.

On Thursday, she walked onto the field at Atlanta Stadium with a whistle in one hand and made history, offering a dynamic example of what is possible for the next generation following in her footsteps.