The 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final on October 1 promises history.
The winner – whether first-time trophy-contender Austin FC or Nashville SC – will put a piece of silverware on their club’s shelf for the first time. And if it’s Nashville raising the trophy after the final whistle, they’ll become the first pro sports team from Tennessee to ever win a title.
We’ll have to wait for the final whistle to see how all that shakes out, but there’ll be history made out front too when Tori Penso blows the opening whistle. When the 2025 Open Cup Final kicks off, it will do so with an all-female on-field officiating crew for the first time in the 111-year history of the tournament.
“Having an all-female crew on the field is a real statement,” said Penso, who’ll be running the game as referee with longtime assistants Brooke Mayo (AR1) and Kathryn Nesbitt (AR2) on the touchlines.
The rest of the crew is rounded out by Meghan Mullen (reserve AR), Shawn Tehini (VAR), Rosendo Mendoza (Fourth Official) and Fabio Tovar (AVAR).
“It’s really great to be a part of an Open Cup Final with so many storylines,” added Penso, who, alongside Mayo and Nesbitt, officiated the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final as well as FIFA Club World Cup games in 2023 and 2025 and a group-stage contest at the 2024 Olympic Football Tournament in Paris. “History will be made. And we’re proud to be a small part of that history.
“The U.S Open Cup is such an iconic tournament. So much of the history of the game in this country comes from it,” added Penso, who’s been in charge of 15 Major League Soccer games so far this season. “Being in the officiating crew for a Final like this is a lot of responsibility.”
While it’s the first Open Cup Final for Penso, she’s no stranger to the tournament’s particular energies and dynamism. She was in charge of FC Cincinnati’s 2017 Second Rounder against amateurs AFC Cleveland when the Ohio club, now fixtures in MLS, were still in the Division II USL Championship.
FC Cincinnati went on to reach that year’s Semifinal, but they didn’t have things all their own way on that day in the early rounds – winning out by a slim 1-0 scoreline and only after extra-time. “In the same way that the Open Cup offers players from all levels of the game the opportunity to pull off thrilling upsets and show what they can do, it’s the same with referees,” said Penso speaking to ussoccer.com. “You can get a taste of the pace and the energy at that next level.”
With Austin FC and Nashville SC of MLS both aiming to scoop a first-ever trophy for their respective fans, Penso is ready for the tension to crank up on the big day (be sure to watch the 2025 Final on Paramount+ and on air at CBS Sports Network at 8pm ET – with coverage beginning at 7pm ET).
“These are not easy games,” she said, coming off an MLS league contest at the weekend between Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew, two teams who share five Open Cup crowns between them. “There’s many layers of emotion and decision-making and a lot of pressure on you.”
“Any Final brings a certain amount of buzz,” the 39-year-old referee added. “There’s the energy in the build up and the tunnel. But it’s all business when it gets out on the field. There’s a lot of pressure on both of these teams – they don’t have big trophy cases and are looking to lift something for the first time. It could be a monumental moment in their history.
“Working an Open Cup Final has been on our radars for a long time now,” added Penso, an Open Cup history-maker no matter how the result goes. “A Final at any level is an incredible honor. Our crew is ready to show what we can do.”
