Rebecca Welch, who has been chosen to oversee Fulham’s game against Burnley on December 23, will become the Premier League’s first female referee.
Welch became a referee in 2010, juggling the position with her work in the British National Health Service.
She became the first woman to be appointed as a Football League referee in 2021, when she officiated a fourth-tier match between Harrogate and Port Vale.
Welch was also the first female referee in the Championship and the third round of the FA Cup.
As part of the Fulham team against Manchester United last month, she became the first woman to serve as a fourth official in a Premier League game.
Welch has also overseen a number of high-profile women’s matches, including games in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.