WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 2023
Who is Tori Penso, the referee for Spain vs England in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final?
Penso, 38, is the first ever US official to be appointed as the match referee for the final of either the women’s or men’s World Cup.
American referee Tori Penso will take charge of Sunday’s 2023 Women’s World Cup final, as Spain and England both bid to win the title for the first time.
La Roja and the Lionesses meet at Stadium Australia in Sydney, with kick-off scheduled for 6am ET/3am PT.
WWC final: live commentary
If you're in the United States, you'll be able to watch a live stream of the game on fuboTV, which offers users a free trial.
Who is Tori Penso?
Penso is the first official from the US ever to be appointed as match referee for either the women’s or men’s World Cup final.
A FIFA-listed referee since 2021, the 38-year-old has so far overseen four games at the 2023 Women’s World Cup - including England’s 3-1 semi-final win over Australia.
Penso was also handed two group-stage matches - Germany’s 6-0 thumping of Morocco, and Switzerland’s goalless draw with New Zealand - before running the rule over France’s 4-0 last-16 victory over the Moroccans.
So far in Australia and New Zealand, the referee has averaged just one yellow card per game and is yet to send any players off.
In domestic soccer, Penso officiates in both the NWSL and MLS - the US’ elite men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.
When she made her MLS debut in September 2020 - in a game between Nashville SC and DC United - she became the first woman to take charge of a match in the league since May 2000.
Penso: Final appointment a “very special moment”
Penso was confirmed as the referee for Spain vs England on Thursday, FIFA Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina announcing the American’s appointment in front of her fellow Women’s World Cup officials.
“To be in a room with many of my mentors, peers, colleagues, who have had an amazing tournament, it really was a very special moment for me,” she told Inside FIFA.
“When Collina held up the jersey with the names of the teams in front of the whole group, I think all of us were salivating at the opportunity and the chance, and when he flipped that over to showcase my name, I melted.”
See also:
Penso’s World Cup final refereeing team in full
Penso’s assistant referees in the final will be compatriots Kathryn Nesbitt and Brooke Mayo, and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita will be the fourth official.
The video assistant referee (VAR) will be Nicaragua’s Tatiana Guzmán, and the assistant VAR will be Dutchman Pol van Boekel. The offside VAR will be Belgium’s Ella de Vries, and the support VAR will be American Armando Villarreal.
Video - The moment Tori Penso was confirmed as WWC final ref:
