Historic! Rebecca Welch to become Premier League's first female referee during Fulham vs Burnley clash
In a groundbreaking move, Rebecca Welch is set to break barriers as the Premier League's inaugural female referee, officiating Fulham's match against Burnley on December 23.
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FollowRebecca Welch is set to make history as the Premier League's first female referee, overseeing Fulham's match against Burnley on December 23. Commencing her refereeing career in 2010, Welch previously achieved the milestone of becoming the first woman to referee a men's Championship game in January. Additionally, Sam Allison will officiate a top-flight match in December, marking him as the Premier League's first black referee in 15 years. Uriah Rennie, the league's last black referee, retired in 2009, while Jarnail Singh, the EFL's last non-white referee, retired in 2010.
The Football Association outlined plans in July to increase the recruitment of referees from "historically under-represented" backgrounds by 50% by 2026. This initiative targets a significant rise in the number of women referees and black or Asian referees across all football levels within three years. Currently, 8% of officials are of black or Asian ethnicity, with only 3% in professional football. Sam Allison, a former firefighter, achieved promotion to the Football League in 2020 and moved up to the Championship earlier this year, advocating for more officials from under-represented backgrounds.
Rebecca Welch, in addition to her historic Premier League role, has officiated in the Championship, the Women's Super League, and the Women's Champions League this year. Her diverse experience also extends to refereeing matches at the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand during the summer. In 2022, she made history by becoming the first woman to take charge of an FA Cup third-round tie, solidifying her presence on the EFL's national list for men's football, which oversees League One and League Two fixtures. Welch's journey in the Premier League began in November when she served as the first woman involved in a refereeing capacity during Manchester United's 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
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