“I’m set for Premier League” Rebecca Welch poised to make EPL history as first female referee

Rebecca Welch is set to make history as the Premier League first female referee in the match against Fulham vs Burnley on December 23.

She recalls the challenges that marked her groundbreaking debut in second division league EFL in April 2021, while emphasizing her desire to be treated like any other referee.

Reflecting on her experience with Harrogate and Port Vale players in EFL, she said, “The players didn’t treat me any differently – they were still chewing my ear off as they went past.

“That was nice because I was a bit afraid of them not being like that. You want players to go, ‘You got that one wrong, ref,’ or ‘It’s gone so well in the last 10 minutes.’

“You need that, and when I got it, I felt normal and that I could just referee the game,” she added.

Acknowledging the attention she’ll receive in the Premier League, Welch expresses her desire to be seen like every other referee, despite the media focus.