Tennessee Tech Golden Eagle Brooke Mayo to Officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Photo / Professional Referee Organization (PRO)

Tennessee Tech alumna Brooke Mayo has been selected to serve as an assistant referee at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and that news feels like something straight out of Middle Tennessee—earned, steady, and hard-won.

A former Golden Eagles soccer standout who played at Tech from 2007 to 2010, Mayo later earned Tennessee Tech Athletics’ Woman of the Year recognition in 2011, a reflection of the discipline and leadership she showed long before her name appeared alongside the sport’s biggest headlines. For Nashville-area fans, the story carries extra weight: it’s not just “someone from Tennessee”—it’s someone from our regional rhythm, built in classrooms and practices and long days that don’t always make the national spotlight.

Mayo’s appointment represents her first men’s World Cup, but it is far from her first international assignment. She has previously served as an assistant referee at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, worked officiating duties at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and took part in matches tied to the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. She was also recognized as U.S. Soccer’s 2025 Female Referee of the Year—a major honor that speaks to how highly her officiating is valued.

And while the world stage may be new, Mayo’s perspective is familiar: at elite levels, you have to keep improving, stay ready, and represent yourself, your federation, and your roots with professionalism.

Look for Brooke on the pitch as you enjoy the World Cup this Summer.