Rebecca Welch to be inducted into National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame

Rebecca Welch, the first woman to referee a Premier League match, is to be inducted into the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame.

The 40-year-old made history when she was selected to take charge of the Fulham v Burnley game on December 23.

She was also the referee for the Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest fixture last month.

Welch will become the first female referee to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, with the museum confirming her induction on International Women’s Day.

“It’s quite overwhelming, I was very honoured to be asked,” Welch said.

“My journey started 13 years ago and now here I am having refereed in one of the biggest leagues in the world, being inducted to the Hall of Fame alongside legends of the game, it doesn’t feel real to me.

“It’s great for young boys and young girls to see female representation at the top of the game because it makes them believe that they can be there as well.”

Welch started refereeing in 2010 and went full-time in 2019.

As well as her Premier League first, she was also the first woman to be appointed to referee an EFL match in 2021, when she took charge of the fixture between Harrogate and Port Vale in League Two.

The Premier League will witness another refereeing landmark this weekend, when Sunny Singh Gill becomes the first British South Asian official to take charge of a top-flight game.

Singh Gill will referee the Crystal Palace v Luton match on Saturday.