Rebecca Welch etched her name in history on Saturday, becoming the Premier League’s first female referee.
Taking the helm at Craven Cottage for Fulham’s clash against Burnley at 3:00 PM GMT, the 40-year-old marked a groundbreaking moment.
Entering refereeing in 2010 while balancing a role in the NHS, Welch transitioned to a full-time official in 2019.
In a notable achievement, she officiated a men’s fixture in the Championship earlier in the year, and returned to Craven Cottage after recently serving as the fourth official during Fulham’s Premier League match against Manchester United.
In 2022, Welch broke barriers once more as the first woman to referee an FA Cup third-round tie, securing a spot on the EFL’s national list for men’s football governing League One and League Two fixtures.
Hailing from Washington in Tyne and Wear, Welch has been a prominent figure among English officials in the Women’s Super League.
Her accomplishments extended to the global stage when she joined Fifa’s elite list of international match officials in December 2020, culminating in her refereeing role at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand during the summer.
