South Africa’s Group A clash against the Czech Republic in Atlanta on Thursday will be officiated by referee Tori Penso, the first American woman to take charge of a men’s World Cup match.
The match will feature an all-female officiating team, with fellow Americans Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt appointed as assistant referees.
New Zealand’s Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh will serve as the fourth official, completing the crew.
Penso, who began her refereeing career in the National Women’s Soccer League, made history in 2020 as the first woman in two decades to referee in Major League Soccer.
Her profile has since risen significantly on the international stage, including taking charge of the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.
Interestingly, she will again be supported on the touchlines by Mayo and Nesbitt, the same duo who assisted her in that Spain vs England final, underlining their established working relationship at the highest level.
For South Africa, known as Bafana Bafana, the encounter is already a must-win after their opening 2-0 defeat to Mexico, leaving little margin for error as they look to revive their tournament hopes.
