History will be made in the Premiership on Saturday, December 23, 2023, when Rebecca Welch becomes the first female centre referee in a Premier League match.
That day, the 40-year-old will be in charge of affairs in Fulham’s home match against Burnley.
Besides Welch, another person, Sam Allison, will also break a record as the first black referee to officiate in top flight league actions for 15 years when he takes charge of proceedings during Sheffield United versus Luton cracker on Boxing Day at Bramall Lane.
Both Welch and Allison, according to a report by The Guardian of London, belong to the development group of officials fast-tracked by the refereeing body, PGMOL, to help improve the quality of refereeing in the four top divisions in England.
The pair have been refereeing in the Championship this season, with Welch also acting as a fourth official in the Premier League“Both Rebecca and Sam were part of the development group that was created last year. Credit to them they have delivered good performances in the Championship this season and deserve their opportunities due to their quality and the talent that they have,” said Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer at PGMOL.
“Of course it’s significant in terms of Rebecca being the first female to take the whistle in the Premier League … and Sam being the first black referee in the Premier League since Uriah Rennie back in 2008. The profile of the game[s] will serve as a role model for others in under-represented communities and that is undoubtedly a positive.”
The Guardian recalls that Welch became a referee in 2010, balancing the role alongside her job in the NHS. In 2021 she was the first woman to to referee a match in the Football League, a League Two fixture between Harrogate and Port Vale.
Welch, who comes from Washington in Tyne and Wear, was also the first woman to referee matches in the Championship and the third round of the FA Cup, and last month became the first woman to be fourth official in a Premier League game as part of the team for Manchester United’s win against Fulham.
She has also handled high-profile matches in the Women’s Super League, twice refereed the Women’s FA Cup final, and taken charge of international matches including at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
“We need greater diversity because undoubtedly there is quality in all communities,” added Webb. “Previously for whatever reason we have not been able to bring people through from those groups. Now it’s happening at last, thankfully.”
