Men’s World Cup 2026 referee to make history as first out gay match official
Brooke Mayo (Image: Getty Images)
Assistant referee Brooke Mayo is set to make history as the first openly gay match official to take part in a men’s FIFA World Cup football match.
She is set to run the line in Thursday’s Group A game between the Czech Republic and South Africa at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
She is listed as one of the assistant referees for the fixture alongside Kathryn Nesbitt, with Tori Penso appointed as the referee.
Mayo, 37, confirmed to Outsports that she is gay, two years after describing herself as a “member of the LGBTQ+ community” in a blog post for the National Intercollegiate Soccer Official Association (NISOA).
The history-making moment has been celebrated in an Instagram post celebrating Mayo’s appointment, which describes her as “the first openly out and proud referee to take part in the competition at this level”.
Mayo’s Pride Month message
In the 2024 NISOA Pride Month blog post, Mayo wrote about the pressures of being open about her identity while navigating personal safety. “Growing up in the South was not easy, and I have always struggled with the delicate balance of authenticity versus safety,” she wrote.
Mayo also explained why she relocated. “Many people ask me why I moved states, and I love to say, ‘for the mountains’, but the sad truth is, I moved due to genuine concerns of my family’s safety.”
She described football – or soccer, as it’s called in the US – as a refuge, adding: “Yet, there is one place where I feel the most supported being my authentic self, the soccer field.”
Mayo ended with a call to fellow officials: “I would like to challenge our referee family to continue making the soccer field a safe place for all.”
Why this World Cup first matters
Mayo’s appointment is the first time an openly out LGBTQ+ match official has had an on-field role at a men’s World Cup, taking place in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Penso’s selection is also a landmark moment, with the US official set to become the first woman from the US to take charge of a men’s World Cup match.
The men’s FIFA World Cup is the most-watched event in global football, making on-field representation milestones culturally significant beyond sport. LGBTQ+ visibility in men’s elite football has historically lagged behind women’s football, with very few openly out participants at the top level.
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