Rebecca Welch made history as she became the first appointed woman to referee a men’s Championship match between Preston and Birmingham on Saturday, 21 January 2023.
Although Welch was the first appointed woman to referee, she is not the first female to referee during a game. Amy Fearn replaced the original referee when he was taken off due to an injury in 2010.
The 39-year-old started her football career at a young age but never pursued it professionally. She went on to work for the National Health Service until 2019 but became a football referee a year later.
The first two matches that she refereed were University Games, but she later entered the big leagues when she refereed a Sunday League match in Sunderland, England.
The match official has officiated at games in the Women’s Super League and was a referee at the 2017-, and 2020-Women’s FA Cup Finals, as well as the 2020 FA Women’s Community Shield.
Welch is no stranger to refereeing men’s football matches. In the 2018/19 National League, she refereed at multiple Men’s National League matches.
She joined other women football officials who have refereed at international games such as Stéphanie Frappart from France and Bibiana Steinhaus from Germany when UEFA added her name to UEFA’s elite women’s list.
In December 2021, it was announced that Welch would be the first woman to officiate a third men’s FA Cup match between Birmingham city and Plymouth Argyle. History was officially made when she officiated the game on the 8th of January 2022.
Welch says: “It shows that there is a real opportunity to young girls who are wondering if they are able take the whistle”. Welch is a perfect example of a women who is empowering young women through sport.
By gsport Intern, Jessica De Lira
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