Rebecca Welch

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Rebecca Welch
Welch in 2019
Full name Rebecca Welch
Born (1983-12-01) 1 December 1983 (age 40)
Washington, Tyne and Wear, England
Domestic
Years League Role
The Football Association Referee
International
Years League Role
2015– FIFA listed Referee

Rebecca Welch (born 1 December 1983)[1] is an English football referee.

Born in Washington, Tyne and Wear, she became the first woman to referee an English Football League match, when she did so for a League Two match between Harrogate Town and Port Vale in 2021. In December 2023, Welch became the first woman to referee a Premier League match.

Career

Having worked as an administrator with the NHS Business Services Authority, Welch became a football referee in 2010, but continued to work in her NHS post until becoming a full-time referee in 2019.[2][3][4] She had played football from a young age, and studied to be a referee with Durham County Football Association. Her first two matches were women's university games, followed by a Sunday League match in Sunderland, something she has described as being "a completely different kettle of fish" compared to the university games.[5]

During her career as a referee she has officiated at games in the

2020 FA Women's Community Shield. Since the 2018–19 National League season, she has refereed at several men's National League matches.[3][6][7][8] In December 2020, she was added to UEFA's elite women's list, joining other female football officials to referee at international games, including Stéphanie Frappart of France and Bibiana Steinhaus of Germany.[9][10]

Welch's appointment to referee the Harrogate v Port Vale match was announced by the

Football Association on 30 March 2021.[9][11] The announcement made Welch the first woman to be appointed to referee an English Football League game, though not the first woman to referee during a game. Amy Fearn was substituted to referee the final 20 minutes of a match between Coventry City and Nottingham Forest in February 2010 when the original referee was taken off due to injury.[3][12]

On 29 December 2021, it was announced that Welch would be the first woman to officiate a third round men's FA Cup match. The game in question, between Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle, was played on 8 January 2022.[13][14]

On 9 January 2023, FIFA appointed her to the officiating pool for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.[15]

In November 2023, Welch was allegedly the subject of misogynistic chanting during a match between Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday; two 17 year olds were subsequently arrested.[16]

On 23 December 2023, Welch became the first woman to referee in the Premier League, officiating in a fixture between Fulham and Burnley.[17] She was congratulated by the Burnley manager, Vincent Kompany, after the match.[18] On 8 March 2024, it was announced that Welch would be inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.[19]

In April 2024 it was announced that Welch would officiate at the upcoming Olympics.[20]

References

  1. ^ "England - R. Welch". soccerway.com. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  2. ^ "'Resilient' Welch set to make Premier League history". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "The key questions answered as referee Rebecca Welch makes history". County Times. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Rebecca Welch appointed English football leagues first female referee". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Referee Rebecca Welch is 'On the Spot' ahead of Women's Community Shield". www.thefa.com. The Football Association. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  6. ^ "'Really excited': Rebecca Welch the first female referee appointed to EFL match". The Guardian. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  7. ^ Flood, George (30 March 2021). "Welch appointed as first female referee to take charge of EFL fixture". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Georgia Stanway's Manchester City defeated by Chelsea in Women's Community Shield". The Mail. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  9. ^ a b "EFL appoints Welch as first female ref". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  10. ^ "English officials Rebecca Welch and Emily Carney end 2020 with UEFA promotions". www.thefa.com. The Football Association. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  11. ^ Bower, Aaron (5 April 2021). "Long overdue barriers broken down as Rebecca Welch makes EFL debut". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Rebecca Welch becomes first female referee appointed to EFL match". www.efl.com. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Rebecca Welch to be first female referee in an FA Cup third round game". BBC Sport. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Rebecca Welch is first woman referee to take charge of a men's FA Cup third-round tie". Sky Sports. 9 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Match officials appointed for FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™" (Press release). FIFA. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Two fans arrested for alleged misogynistic chants". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Rebecca Welch to become Premier League's first female referee". BBC Sport. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  18. ^ Brewin, John (23 December 2023). "'A big moment': Kompany congratulates referee Rebecca Welch on historic debut". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Rebecca Welch: Premier League's first female referee to be inducted into National Football Museum Hall of Fame". BBC Sport. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  20. ^ "England's Welch selected as Olympic football referee" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
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