Premier League appoints first female referee

Rebecca Welch is set to become the first female referee to officiate a Premier League match when she takes charge of Fulham’s game against Burnley on December 23.

This historic appointment comes just months after Welch made her debut as a fourth official in the Premier League, becoming the first woman to do so.

The 40-year-old has been refereeing for over a decade and has already made history this year by becoming the first woman to referee a men’s Championship game.

Her impressive performances have earned her a promotion to the Premier League, where she will become the first female referee to officiate a match.

The appointment of Welch comes at a time when the Football Association (FA) is working to increase diversity in refereeing.

In July, the English FA announced plans to recruit 50% more referees from under-represented backgrounds by 2026, including 1,000 women referees and 1,000 black or Asian referees. Currently, only 8% of officials are of black or Asian ethnicity, and only 3% are in professional football.

Welch has already gained extensive experience in refereeing, having officiated in the Championship, Women’s Super League, and Women’s Champions League, as well as the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.