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General
Rebecca Welch
Rebecca Welch
Personal information
Full name Rebecca Welch
Date of birth 1 December 1983 (1983-12-01) (age 41)
Place of birth    Washington, Tyne and Wear, Flag of England England
Domestic
Years League Role
2010–
2023–
The Football Association
Premier League
Referee
Referee   
International
Years League Role
2015– FIFA listed Referee   

Rebecca Welch is an English football referee.

Born in Washington, Tyne and Wear, she became the first woman to be appointed to referee an English Football League match, when she was appointed to referee a League Two match between Harrogate Town and Port Vale in 2021. In December 2023, Welch was announced as the Premier League's first female referee.

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. 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.

During her career as a referee she has officiated at games in the Women's Super League, and was referee at the 2017 and 2020 Women's FA Cup Finals. She also officiated at the 2020 FA Women's Community Shield. Since the 2018–19 National League season she has refereed at several men's National League matches. 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 Germany's Bibiana Steinhaus.

Welch's appointment to referee the Harrogate v Port Vale match was announced by the Football Association on 30 March 2021. The game proceeded smoothly with Welch officiating effectively. Port Vale won the match (2–0). Two players received yellow cards, but there was little dissent apart from a vocal complaint by Harrogate's Connor Hall about a possible penalty in the first half. 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.

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.

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

In November 2023, Welch was subjected to misogynistic chanting during a match between Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday; two 17 year olds were arrested.

On 14 December 2023, it was announced that Welch would become the first ever woman to referee in the English Premier League, being appointed to officiate a fixture between Fulham and Burnley on 23 December 2023.

External links[]

Premier League new logo 2024–25 Premier League Referees
Referees
Stuart Attwell · Peter Bankes · Samuel Barrott · Darren Bond · Tom Bramall · John Brooks · Darren England · Jarred Gillett · Tony Harrington · Simon Hooper · Robert Jones · Chris Kavanagh · Andy Madley · Michael Oliver · Craig Pawson · Tim Robinson · Michael Salisbury · Graham Scott · Josh Smith · Lewis Smith · Anthony Taylor · Craig Taylor · Paul Tierney · Gavin Ward · Rebecca Welch
Assistant Referees
Natalie Aspinall · Simon Bennett · Gary Beswick · Lee Betts · Stuart Burt · Darren Cann · Dan Cook · Neil Davies · Derek Eaton · Nick Greenhalgh · Constantine Hatzidakis · Adrian Holmes · Nick Hopton · Akil Howson · Ian Hussin · Scott Ledger · Harry Lennard · Simon Long · James Mainwaring · Sian Massey-Ellis · Steve Meredith · Adam Nunn · Marc Perry · Dan Robathan · Mark Scholes · Eddie Smart · Wade Smith  · Richard West · Mat Wilkes · Tim Wood

Template:UEFA Women's Euro 2022 referees Template:2023 FIFA Women's World Cup referees

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