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Tori Penso is making World Cup history.
The U.S.-native Penso is officially the second woman to officiate a World Cup match in the men's tournament.
Penso is on the whistle for the Group A match between Czechia and South Africa on Thursday. The match is being played in Atlanta.
Even cooler, the crew is three women. Her assistants are both Americans, Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt.
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Who is the World Cup female ref?
Tori Penso, 39, is a long-time referee who has built her career up to this special moment.
According to ESPN, she began refereeing at 14 "to make some extra money."
Penso went to the Olympic Development Program referee camp when she was 18.
She continued to work in advertising before leaving that to officiate full-time.
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She became an MLS referee in September 2020, and she's been on the FIFA international referee panel since 2021.
Penso has previously worked men's matches in CONCACAF as part of World Cup qualifying.
Her biggest assignment to date was the 2023 Women's World Cup Final, when Spain beat England, 1-0.
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Now, Penso has broken through at the men's World Cup.
The only woman to hold this role previously was Stephanie Frappart of France, who was on the whistle for Germany-Costa Rica in the group stage in 2022 in Qatar.
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