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On the big stage: Martin County's Tori Penso referees the 2023 Women's World Cup final

bryan cooney, treasure coast newspapers
·2 min read

The biggest stage in women's soccer is bringing eyes to the world's best players at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.

With the final set between Spain and England in Sydney to be played at 6 a.m. in the United States, the Treasure Coast will be represented on the field by a woman making history.

Martin County graduate Tori Penso will have biggest assignment of her career refereeing the final, becoming the first American to get the assignment in the event's history.

For Penso, it will be the fifth match of the tournament she has been in charge of that included the semifinal match between England and Australia that resulted in a 3-1 victory for the Lionesses.

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The build up

Referee Tori Penso shows a yellow card to England's Alex Greenwood, second from right, during the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) ORG XMIT: XPAG116
Referee Tori Penso shows a yellow card to England's Alex Greenwood, second from right, during the Women's World Cup semifinal soccer match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) ORG XMIT: XPAG116

Penso began refereeing as a teenager at the Treasure Coast YMCA and continued to hone her skills in college. Upon graduation from Florida State University, she began to climb the ladder of big-time soccer.

From college matches including the NCAA Women's College Cup, Penso moved up to professional matches in the NWSL and the USL and in 2020 became the first woman in 20 years to referee an MLS match.

In the last three years, Penso has worked the following high-profile competitions:

  • Refereed at a Men's FIFA World Cup Qualifying match in 2021

  • Refereed the NWSL Championship in 2021

  • Refereed at the Conacaf U-20 Championship in 2022

  • Refereed at the Conacaf W Championship in 2022

  • Refereed at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2022

  • Refereed at the SheBelieves Cup in 2021 and 2023

From the couch to the pitch

During the 2019 Women's World Cup, Penso was watching matches shortly after giving birth to her third child trying to balance officiating while working in an advertising agency.

Penso wanted a chance to referee in matches of that stature. She took on the job with her full attention and the 37-year-old quickly became a top referee in the professional circles.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 24: Referee Tori Penso is seen during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group H match between Germany and Morocco at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on July 24, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 24: Referee Tori Penso is seen during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group H match between Germany and Morocco at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on July 24, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Penso's husband Chris also is a top referee, having worked professional matches since 2009 in the MLS and various international competitions.

Bryan Cooney is the high school sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at bcooney@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Stuart native Tori Penso referees the 2023 Women's World Cup final