Rebecca Welch to be inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame… after the history-making official grew to become the Premier League’s first feminine referee TERMAN WEBSITE

Rebecca Welch is about to turn out to be the primary feminine referee to be inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame, Mail Sport can reveal.

Welch made historical past earlier this season when she grew to become the primary lady to officiate a Premier League sport, taking cost of Fulham v Burnley in December final 12 months.

Her induction can be introduced at present to coincide with Worldwide Ladies’s Day, with the formal induction going down later this 12 months.

‘It’s fairly overwhelming, I used to be very honoured to be requested,’ Welch stated.

‘My journey began 13 years in the past and now right here I’m having refereed in one of many largest leagues on the earth, being inducted to the Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame alongside legends of the sport, it doesn’t really feel actual to me.

Referee Rebecca Welch is about to inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame

Welch grew to become the primary lady to referee a Premier League match again in December

‘It’s nice for younger boys and younger ladies to see feminine illustration on the high of the sport as a result of it makes them consider that they are often there as properly.’

Welch started her refereeing profession in 2010, balancing her position alongside working for the NHS earlier than changing into skilled in 2019.

The 40-year-old took cost of the 2017 and 2020 Ladies’s FA Cup finals at Wembley and was a part of the officiating crew for the third-place play-off match on the Ladies’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand final summer time.

Welch grew to become the primary lady to be appointed to referee an EFL match when she took cost of the League 2 sport between Harrogate and Port Vale in 2021, earlier than progressing to the Premier League final 12 months.

Tim Desmond, CEO of the Nationwide Soccer Museum stated: ‘Rebecca’s achievements in soccer are nothing in need of excellent.

‘Reaching the top of refereeing within the ladies’s sport officiating at a number of World Cups in addition to changing into the primary feminine to officiate the Premier League. Rebecca’s achievements take bravery and excessive dedication to her craft.

‘She’s a shining instance for girls trying to make a profession in refereeing, the broader footballing world and past and we’re delighted to announce she can be inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame.’

Welch, who officiated eventually 12 months’s Ladies’s World Cup, would be the second referee inducted

Welch is simply the second referee to be inducted into the Corridor of Fame, with Jack Taylor having been included in 2013.

She is a part of PGMOL’s Growth Group which identifies gifted officers and allows them to dedicate extra time to their officiating. The help of the Growth Group has seen Welch tackle her first Premier League match in addition to Kirsty Dowle and Emily Carney making their EFL debuts.

In 2019, the Nationwide Soccer Museum relaunched the Corridor of Fame with a dedication to reaching 50 % feminine illustration throughout the sport.

Welch will be a part of the likes of Kerry Davis, Jill Scott and Kelly Smith as one of many many feminine inductees.