First female referee in Premier League makes history

Rebecca Welch has been a professional referee since 2010 but Fulham v Burnley will be her first match in the Premier League

Premier League history was made on 23 December as Rebecca Welch became the first ever woman to referee a English top flight match.

The 40-year-old took charge during Fulham against Burnley at Craven Cottage.

She has refereed in some huge matches before including at the 2023 Women's World Cup, the Women's Champions League and a men's FA Cup tie.

Howard Webb, who is the head of refereeing at PGMOL - the Football League's refereeing board - said it was a "pivotal moment" for Rebecca and for referees.

Sam Allison will be the first black referee to take charge of a top-flight match since 2008.

Sam Allison will also take charge of a top-flight match in December, making him the Premier League's first black referee for 15 years.

He will be on the whistle for Sheffield United's match against Luton on Boxing Day, 26 December.

Webb added that both refs deserve their opportunity, and that they are "two officials of real quality".

The top bosses behind football in England set out a plan to try and boost the numbers of referees from "historically under-represented" backgrounds by 2026.

World Cup and Champions League

France's Stephanie Frappart is one of three female referees who has been selected for the 2022 men's World Cup

Th Premier League is behind other big men's tournaments in having female referees in charge of the action.

At the World Cup in 2022 France's Stephanie Frappart, Rwanda's Salima Mukansanga and Japan's Yoshimi Yamashita all took charge of games in Qatar.

They were supported by three female assistant referees, Neuza Back of Brazil, Mexico's Karen Díaz Medina and Kathryn Nesbitt from the United States.

And Stephanie Frappart also made history in 2020 by becoming the first woman to referee at Champions League match: Juventus vs Dynamo Kiev.