When Rebecca Welch blew the whistle during Fulham’s match against Burnley at Craven Cottage on Saturday, she became the first female referee of a Premier League football game in England.
When Welch, a 40-year-old Washington, New England native, started off as a referee in 2010, she was employed by the National Health Service.
She advanced through the refereeing levels and, in 2021, officiated the English Football League’s fourth-tier match between Harrogate and Port Vale, becoming the league’s first female referee.
Welch was also the first female official to referee matches in the Championship and third round of the FA Cup.
Last month she became the first woman to act as fourth official in a Premier League game as part of the officiating team for Fulham’s match against Manchester United.
Welch has also taken charge of several high-profile women’s fixtures, including games at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.