On this day in 2021: Rebecca Welch becomes first female to referee full EFL game

Rebecca Welch became the first female referee to officiate an entire English Football League match on this day in 2021.

The then 37-year-old made history when she oversaw Harrogate’s 2-0 home defeat to Port Vale.

Harrogate manager Simon Weaver said at the time that Welch was “very good indeed” and added: “Hopefully it’s just par for the course that we see female referees and officials in the EFL. It’s about time.”

Amy Fearn in 2010 became the first female EFL referee, when she was called in as an injury replacement for the final 20 minutes of a match, but Welch was the first to oversee a full game.

In January 2022, Welch went on to become the first woman to officiate a men’s third-round FA Cup match when she took charge of Birmingham’s home tie against Plymouth.

And in January 2023 she became the first woman to referee a full game in the Championship, taking charge of Birmingham’s 2-1 loss to Preston at St Andrew’s.