Rebecca Welch will become the first woman appointed to referee a men’s Championship match when she takes charge of Birmingham versus Preston on Saturday.
Welch, 39, from Washington in Tyne and Wear, already holds the honour of being the first woman to be appointed to referee an English Football League match.
She led the team of officials for the League Two match between Harrogate and Port Vale in April 2021.
History will be made in the EFL this weekend, as Rebecca Welch will become the first female to officiate a #SkyBetChampionship fixture. #EFL | @FA_PGMOL pic.twitter.com/zENbYk6Vkv
— EFL (@EFL) January 20, 2023
Amy Fearn became the first female referee in the EFL in 2010, when she stepped in as an injury replacement for the final 20 minutes of a second-tier match between Coventry and Nottingham Forest.
Last year, Welch became the first woman to referee an FA Cup third-round tie, also at Birmingham, as Blues lost 1-0 to Plymouth on January 8.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here