Rebecca Welch became the first woman to referee an English Premier League football match when she blew the whistle on Saturday’s encounter between Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage.
Welch, a 40-year-old from Washington in northeast England, started her refereeing career in 2010 while working for the National Health Service.
She went through the ranks of refereeing before becoming the first woman selected to referee a match in the English Football League in 2021, when she took control of a fourth-tier encounter 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 officiating squad for Fulham’s match against Manchester United last month, she became the first woman to function as 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.