Rebecca Welch to become first female Premier League referee

Rebecca Welch is poised to become the first woman to referee a Premier League fixture after being assigned to Fulham's clash with Burnley on Saturday 23 December.

The 40-year-old previously made EFL history after refereeing a game in April 2021 and took charge of a men's FA Cup fixture nine months later. She was also the fourth official for Manchester United's slender 1-0 win over Fulham in November - the first time the role had ever been taken on by a woman.

Welch is set to referee the game between Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage two days before Christmas, breaking new ground for female officials across the country.

Sam Allison's appointment as the referee for Sheffield United's Boxing Day clash with Luton Town is also significant because he'll be the first Black referee to take charge of a Premier League game since Uriah Rennie in 2008. He was appointed as a Championship referee after building up years of experience in the EFL.

Bhupinder Singh Gill became the first Sikh-Punjabi to officiate in the Premier League when Nottingham Forest took on Southampton last season - he ran the line as an assistant referee at the City Ground, having been a qualified match official since the age of 14.

Welch's appearance in the centre circle is another breakthrough moment for equality in sport, and builds on her role as a prominent official in the women's game. She is a regular referee in the Women's Super League and was at the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year.

Sian Massey-Ellis has served as an assistant referee in the Premier League for close to 15 years, while she has also officiated in men's European club competition, in the Women's Champions League final and also at the Women's World Cup.

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