The Premier League's first female referee Rebecca Welch has announced her retirement from her on-field career to take up a managerial role within PGMOL.
Welch made history on a number of occasions as a match official, becoming the first woman to referee EFL and Premier League fixtures, while she was consistently entrusted on the international stage with regular appointments to major tournaments as well as being chosen to referee the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in May.
She has decided to hang up her whistle after successfully coming through a competitive recruitment process to become the manager of the Select Group Women’s Professional Game, with the aim to support and develop the growing pool of Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship officials as well as continuing to inspire the next generation of officials.
Consistently breaking those glass ceilings and paving the way for the next generation 🙌 pic.twitter.com/rEfroWkQbU
— PGMOL (@FA_PGMOL) August 29, 2024
“I’m incredibly grateful for the support, guidance and opportunities I’ve been given during an unforgettable time on the field,” Welch said. “I’ve loved working alongside some great people and officials from all over the world – refereeing has given me so much including many amazing memories and I hope to continue to see more youngsters take advantage of the growing opportunities which are there for everyone.”
She added: “I’m now excited by my new challenge and giving back to the game I love in a new capacity. There’s a real focus on the pathway and development at PGMOL and, alongside a great team already in place, I’m eager to help drive that culture of high-performance, offering my experience and support in developing officials within the women’s game.”
PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb said: “Rebecca has been a pioneering figure within refereeing, consistently breaking barriers and achieving great things in England while she has also done us proud on the international stage when representing PGMOL and The FA at major tournaments, including the recent Olympics. I have no doubt her expertise and passion will be invaluable in her managerial role with us. We’re thrilled to have her as part of our team of support staff and we’re confident that her contributions will be continue to be hugely significant.”
Welch began her refereeing journey in 2010, initially balancing this alongside her career in the NHS. Since becoming a full-time match official in 2019, Welch’s pathway has been marked by numerous historic achievements. In 2021 she became the first woman to referee an EFL match, taking charge of Harrogate Town v Port Vale, a feat which she backed up by refereeing matches in the Championship and the third round of the men’s FA Cup. These all preceded her Premier League debut in December 2023 as the world’s eyes watched her whistle Fulham v Burnley at Craven Cottage.
Welch’s impressive resume solidifies her position as a leading light in women’s refereeing, having also overseen the Women’s FA Cup final in both 2017 and 2020. She was on the FIFA International List of Match Officials from 2015 and her talents were further recognised by UEFA in 2020 when she was chosen for the Elite Women’s List.
Since then, Welch has officiated on some of football’s biggest stages, including the 2022 UEFA Women’s EUROs, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2024 UEFA Women’s Champions League final and, most recently, the Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football tournament where she concluded the final game of her career as fourth official for the Gold Medal Match. Welch’s illustrious list of achievements will see her officially inducted into the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame in due course.
A familiar face to Welch, former referee Lou Saunders will also be joining the Select Group Women’s Professional Game off-field team as a coach at the end of September.
Saunders has a wealth of experiencing officiating at the highest levels of women’s domestic football, bringing with her an impressive on-field track record, as well as a deep understanding of the game to further enhance PGMOL’s coaching staff. Lou departs The FA as National Referee Manager, a role she excelled in and one which perfectly equips her to coach and mentor our officials.
