PRO will be represented at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States by the following 11 officials.
Referees:
Ismail Elfath
Drew Fischer
Tori Penso
Assistant Referees:
Lyes Arfa
Kyle Atkins
Micheal Barwegen
Brooke Mayo
Kathryn Nesbitt
Corey Parker
Video Match Officials:
Joe Dickerson
Armando Villarreal
A total of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials form the largest pool of match officials for a World Cup. At the start of the year, referees Joe Dickerson, Ismail Elfath, Drew Fischer, and Tori Penso attended a FIFA seminar in Brazil with top officials from Concacaf and CONMEBOL. They have patiently awaited this announcement as other regional seminars concluded, the last wrapping up in late March before selections were confirmed.
Kyle Atkins, Elfath, Fischer (a video match official in 2022), Kathryn Nesbitt, Corey Parker, and Armando Villarreal are again selected, having officiated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Atkins (offside AVAR), Elfath (fourth official), Nesbitt (reserve assistant referee), and Parker (standby AVAR) all worked the World Cup Final between Argentina and France.
Since its formation, PRO’s representation at the World Cup has grown by 175 percent, increasing from four officials in 2014 to a record 11 in 2026.
Mark Geiger, PRO’s General Manager, said: “We are incredibly proud to see these 11 officials recognized with selection to the World Cup, hosted right here on our home soil. Their journey to the pinnacle of the sport is a testament to years of sacrifice and dedication to the game.
“When they take to the field in the summer, they will showcase the high standards of our organization and serve as a powerful inspiration for the next generation of North American match officials. We look forward to watching our officials continue to lead the way.”
The expanded 48-team World Cup starts June 11 and concludes with the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
- Four of PRO’s 11 representatives, Drew Fischer, Joe Dickerson, Tori Penso, and Ismail Elfath, pictured at a FIFA seminar earlier this year.