Rebecca Welch Makes English Premier League History, Becomes First Female Referee To Officiate A Top-Flight Game

Rebecca Welch took charge of the pivotal English Premier League clash between relegation-threatened Burnley and mid-table Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Welch, in the process, became the first female referee in the league's history. (Football News)

Welch, an administrator with the NHS Business Services Authority Welch from Washington in Tyne and Wear, has been a referee since 2010. After initially balancing her love for the game with a regular job, she finally became a full-time match official.

And on Saturday, she made history, conducting a match in the world's most-watched and probably the greatest football league. The 40-year-old previously made history when she refereed an FA Cup fixture in 2022 and a Championship (second-tier) match in 2021, also a first for a woman. She has already worked as a fourth official in the Premier League in November at the same venue, during Fulham's 1-0 league defeat by Manchester United.

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In a match with a lot more than the points at stake, Welch played her part by staying out of the limelight but all the while imposing her presence with decisive decision-making, the first of which came inside the first 10 minutes when she turned at least a couple of appeals for fouls.

There were three bookings, a couple for Fulham and one for Burnley, but all in all, it was a match played in the right spirit, following the rules. Meaning, Welch did her job. In fact, there was a moment when her standing as the conductor of a presumably men's game was challenged. But again, VAR supported her decision to deny the hosts a penalty claim.

After the match, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany hailed Rebecca Welch's outing as a "milestone moment".

As it turned out, the Clarets from Lancashire got two second half goals -- from Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge -- and registered their third win of the season (11 points from 18 matches). But they are not yet out of the woods -- still sitting 19th. Fulham, who defeated Everton in the League Cup quarter-final, are 12th with 21 points from as many outings.

“I wanted to congratulate her because it's a big moment,” the Belgian said. "It's fair to say that it's a milestone moment and may there be more, and the best thing will always be when someone is judged on merit... But you have to have a first and this is it, so well done (to her) and I'm happy to be part of this moment.”