Meet Rebecca Welch – 40-year-old who became the first female referee in the English Premier League
Rebecca Welch blew her whistle to start the match between Fulham and Burnley in the ongoing English Premier League.
London: Rebecca Welch etched her name in the history books when she became the first female referee to officiate a match in the English Premier League on Saturday. Welch blew her whistle to start Saturday’s match between Fulham and Burnley, a milestone for the English top flight. She received applause from some fans as she emerged from the tunnel ahead of the match at Craven Cottage. Welch already worked as a fourth official in the Premier League for the match between Fulham and Manchester United on November 4.
She has played matches in the second tier of the Championship and the FA Cup. Welch has been a referee since 2010 and initially balanced the role with her job at the National Health Service before becoming a full-time match official. The 40-year-old pioneer from Washington previously refereed at the Women’s Football World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
“I was playing football and didn’t even think about refereeing until one of my very good friends, who is a referee, refereed us,” she said in an interview with the Independent. “I spent the entire game telling her how to do her job! Her response was, “If you think it’s that easy, give it a try.” That’s how it happened and ten years later I’m standing here.”
Rebecca Welch becomes the first woman to referee a Premier League match when Fulham vs. Burnley 👏 pic.twitter.com/8IIy6UzY43
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 23, 2023
Welch became the first woman to be appointed as a referee for the EFL match between Harrogate Town and Port Vale in a League Two match in 2021. She became a national group referee for the 2021/22 season and officiated the third round of the FA Cup at Birmingham City. draw against Plymouth Argyle, again becoming the first woman to do so in the competition.
With input from the Agency