Tori Penso will referee the final (Picture: Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Tori Penso is to take charge of the biggest game in football tomorrow, when she referees the much-anticipated Women’s World Cup Final, which sees England taking on Spain.
The match will be screened live on BBC1 and ITV1, with an 11am kick-off in the Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Fans may well recognise referee Penso, who oversaw England’s victorious semi-final against home team Australia, which sent the Matildas packing.
‘There’s nothing better than this moment I’m living right now,’ Penso said, who saw FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina reveal her name in front of her fellow tournament officials.
But who is Tori Penso and where is she from?
Let’s take a look.
Who is Tori Penso?
Tori Penso is one of the leading officials of the game.
Tori Penso giving England a yellow card in the semi-final against Australia (Picture: Amy Halpin/ DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
She is from Florida, USA, and the first American to referee the final.
Penso was aged 10 when her mother allowed her to play football for the first time and began her refereeing career at the tender age of 14, reffing boys’ and girls’ youth games.
She told FIFA.com: ‘Quite simply, she didn’t want me to have bumps and bruises all over my legs, but I saw my two brothers kicking a ball around and all I cared about was doing the same.
‘When I was 14, I told my mum I’d like to start earning some money for myself, and she replied, “You can do it on the pitches where you spend so much time already”. And so I started reffing matches for money.’
Tori started reffing as a teenager (Picture: Aitor Alcalde – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
She continued to play football while studying for a marketing degree in Texas, but couldn’t see a career path in the beautiful game. ‘There were no full-time female referees in the States, and so I didn’t really see it as a career.
‘I did understand, though, that it was more than just a temporary job for me, and that maybe it would enable me to get to know my country a bit better, and maybe even the world.’
In 2019, as professional refereeing opportunities really began to open up for Penso, she decided to quit her job in advertising and ref full-time. A year later, she became the first woman to referee an MLS match in over 20 years, and was one of the first women to officiate a FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
Is Tori Penso married and does she have children?
Tori Penso is married to referee Chris Penso and they have three daughters.
Her decision to become a full-time referee happened when she was cradling her youngest daughter in her arms as a baby, at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.
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‘I made the decision, with the support of my family, to see how far it could take me,’ Penso said. ‘And it has given me more than I could ever imagine.
‘Learning the stories of so many of the women on the pitch, some of whom were mothers, was inspiring. And I thought, ‘Maybe in four years’ time I’ll be out there.’ That’s why I still can’t believe it when I look back.’
Husband Chris is a Video Assistant Referee (VAR), and Penso says: ‘I have healthy discussions about refereeing at home with Chris, and that helps me to see things from another perspective when taking charge of games.’
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All you need to know about the Women’s World Cup Final referee.