Tori Penso

Tori Penso is a soccer referee whose career progression from part-time official to international figure has contributed to the evolution of officiating in the sport. Penso began her refereeing career with the United States Soccer Federation, working in women's collegiate tournaments and later in the National Women's Soccer League. After the Generation Adidas Cup, she joined the Professional Referee Organization's PRO2 development program, serving as a fourth official at Major League Soccer matches and as a referee in USL Championship and NWSL matches. While studying marketing at university and playing soccer, Penso did not initially consider refereeing as a career, noting the absence of full-time female referees in the United States at the time.

Transitioning from a background in digital marketing, Penso became the first full-time female referee in Major League Soccer and the first woman in two decades to officiate an MLS match. FIFA selected her to lead an all-women referee crew in the Women's World Cup Final, where she became the first referee from the United States to officiate a FIFA World Cup final and the first Women's World Cup final referee from the Americas. She also officiated a semi-final and three earlier matches in the tournament, as well as the opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Penso's international assignments have included officiating at the Olympic Football Tournament, FIFA Club World Cups, and multiple MLS matches. She led the first all-female on-field officiating crew for the U.S. Open Cup Final, working alongside assistants Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt.

Off the field, Penso advocates for diversity and inclusion in sports officiating. She has served as managing director of the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association, supporting the development of future female referees. Penso has emphasized the importance of representation in gender and racial equality. She has also taught "Social Media in Sports Marketing" as an adjunct professor at the University of South Florida. Penso's experience in high-pressure environments has contributed to her skill set both on and off the field, making her a prominent figure in soccer officiating and sports leadership.