Rebecca Welch, the rise of female referees and one final barrier left to break

Men’s football has traditionally been reserved for men, on the terraces, on the field, behind the scenes, and officiating the matches. Over the years women have proven that they have a rightful place in the men’s game, first in the stands, then in the press box, and much more recently as referees.

In December 2023, Rebecca Welch became the first woman to officiate a Premier League match. The setting was Fulham’s 2-0 home defeat by Burnley, but the impact would be felt far from the shores of the Thames.

The first female football reporter went on the airwaves in 1969, and the first woman among the Fleet Street press was in 1973, but there was not became the, and Welch took another 13 years to become the first to take charge on the field.