Rebecca Welch

Rebecca Welch is a renowned English referee, best known for becoming the first woman to referee a Premier League match in 2023. Having played football from a young age and studied at the Durham County Football Association, Rebecca only became a full-time referee in 2019. Keen to make history throughout the sporting industry, she was appointed to referee an English Football League match in 2021 and has continued to build upon her success ever since. When looking to hire an inspirational football speaker to attend your future events, look no further than Rebecca today.

Having originally built a career as an administrator with the NHS Business Services Authority, Rebecca decided to become a football referee in 2010 but remained at the NHS until she secured a full-time role in 2019. Her first two matches were for the women’s university games, shortly followed by a Sunday League match to test her professionalism and industry knowledge. Becoming a highly respected member of the male-dominated industry, Rebecca has been selected to officiate at games in the Women’s Super League, the Women’s FA Cup, and the 2020 FA Women’s Community Shield. Since the 2018-19 season, she has refereed several men’s National League Matches, an opportunity which has inspired women globally to build a career within the sporting industry.

In 2021, Rebecca made history for the first time by becoming the first woman appointed to referee an English Football League game. Later that year, it was announced that Rebecca would be the first woman to officiate a third-round men’s FA Cup match. An esteemed professional, Rebecca has most recently become the first woman to referee in the English Premier League, officiating the match between Fulham and Burnley. Passionate to overcome the stereotypes strongly embedded in the sporting world, Rebecca has become a must-see motivational speaker for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

An inspiration to audiences globally, Rebecca Welch is now highly sought-after to attend speaking engagements internationally. Having broken boundaries in both her personal and professional lives, her insights and beliefs are widely respected by a diverse audience. Whether you are looking to boost team morale or inspire your female employees to push towards those top job roles, Rebecca is the perfect speaker to instil these lessons. When looking to hire a leading female speaker to appear at your upcoming events, do not hesitate to hire Rebecca.