A lack of role models is thought to be part of the problem. For reference, Petra Tabarelli found the first occurrence of three females officiating in a top-level mens soccer match anywhere in the world at a Brazilian Serie A game in June 2003. [8], In May 2009, Massey-Ellis was appointed fourth official for the year's FA Women's Cup final at Derby County's Pride Park Stadium, a game which saw two injury-time goals and Arsenal defeat Sunderland 21. "People are starting to know who the England women are. In the early 80s, women in professional sports as players, game officials, coaches and front office personnel were virtually non-existent. After deciding that she wanted to become a referee, Welch didn't think she would ever make it to the EFL. Stephanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup game as she oversaw Germany's 4-2 win over Costa Rica on Thursday. Blowing the whistle to start Harrogate Towns game against Port Vale could be just the first of many milestones. Not many days go by that I dont turn on the TV to watch at least one soccer game. The officiating crew was led by Center Referee Tori Penso, while Karen Diaz of Mexico and Stephanie-Dale Yee Sing of Jamaica served as Assistant Referees. What Is A Double Double In Basketball? The English Football League (EFL) has appointed it's very first female referee. We are huge fans. Stphanie Frappart takes centre stage in big moment for women in football | Suzanne Wrack, Women's Club World Cup could happen 'fairly soon', says ECA chief executive, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Liverpool coach Jrgen Klopp risks getting a touchline ban over a feud with a referee who has been strongly defended by the Premier League match officials group. My work ranges from travelling to take photos for grassroots football to professional games, sometimes even travelling internationally. Frappart took charge of refereeing a mens UEFA Champions League match in December 2020 (another first) and was the first woman in charge of a mens World Cup Qualifying match in March 2021. Sian Massey-Ellis - Wikipedia ", Hannah Sharp, Rebecca Halford, Charlotte Phillips (match officials). Required fields are marked *. But in blowing the whistle to mark kick-off between League Two's Harrogate Town and Port Vale, she will be setting a new and important precedent in English football, becoming the first woman appointed as a referee in the EFL. I do think its important to show that women who are in the top 1% of their category can proceed to the next level so it definitely makes others down the pyramid look up and know that they can achieve the same.. Authors note: After publication of this article, I was contacted by Dr. Lale Orta of Turkey, who states that she was the first female referee in a top European division (a Sper Lig match on May 29, 1999, thus beating Petignat in Switzerland by one day) as well as the first female assistant referree (in 1990). To be clear, there is work still to be done to eradicate sexism in football. She also was the first female referee to officiate mens matches in the Swiss Challenge League. She has praised the support and influence of Sian Massey-Ellis, an assistant referee in the Premier League. Seven-year-old girl builds her own rocket! English soccer's first female Muslim referee, Jawahir Roble, says she aims to one day officiate in the Premier League. (Photo: Phil Stephens Photography/FIFA Museum). We need to keep on educating people, about how it makes that person feel. Copyrights Fast Sportsly. Marking firsts like this for women in football matters, especially in a space where they have not always been fully welcome. They refereed a group-stage game in the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which is the second most senior national team competition in the continent after the Africa Cup of Nations. For a referee to move from one level . She, along with. On Monday, however, Rebecca Welch makes history as the first woman to officiate a men's English Football League match, while readily admitting: "I never really understood why anyone would want to take that route". This is a significant increase from the handful of female referees that were present in the early 2000s and serves as a testament to the progress that has been made in terms of gender equality in football. Video, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. County Championship: Gloucestershire collapse after big Sussex run haul. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Frappart will continue to make history in the coming weeks as she has been selected to work as a support match official at the Euros. FIFA remains committed to increasing the number of female referees and has established a Referee Womens Development. [5][6][7], She is based in Coventry, West Midlands. I've got no doubt, in the next 10 to 15 years, we will see a female referee in the Premier League," she said. They have the same level of knowledge, training and experience in the game, and are often more organized and efficient. Top 10 Female Football Referee in 2023 - fastsportsly.com The latest rumours and stories from around the world of football. Who are the Premier League assistant referees for 2021/22? Francia Gonzalez worked as the Fourth Referee and Dianne Ferreira-James of Guyana as Assessor. How Long Is A College Basketball Game In 2023. Your email address will not be published. Patterson has been a referee for 14 years and has officiated in the FA Womens Super League, the FA Womens Championship, the FA Womens National League and the UEFA Womens Champions League. The Premier League supports the FA Women's National League (WNL), the third and fourth tiers of women's football, with 3m of investment and a new three-year strategy "Empowering For Success", which was launched this season. Thirty years on from a plane crash devastated Zambian football, BBC Sport Africa hears how a Danish coach helped a nation recover from tragedy. . "As a male in the women's game, there is so much opportunity to join a match and referee for them, especially with girls who were part of today's final, who worked their absolute socks off. Klopp was shown a yellow card by referee Paul Tierney after the German manager ran over to the fourth official to celebrate Liverpoo'ls late winning goal. Thus, on May 27, I turned on the TV to watch a CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores group stage game between Defensa y Justicia of Argentina, and Independiente del Valle of Ecuador. Akhona Makalima on becoming the certified female soccer referee in Diogo Jota's stoppage-time strike sealed victory at Anfield, just 99 seconds after Spurs thought Richarlison's first Premier League goal for the club had rescued a . However, at the time, they could not be appointed to games because there were no women on the 1991 FIFA List of Referees. "Our favourite Lionesses are Ellen White and Jess Carter. The Premier League could still be a decade away from assigning its first female referee, according to Referees' Association chairman Paul Field. ", Owen: Relegation battle is going down to the wire, Leicester and Everton forced to share a point Several competitions include UEFA Champions League, Premier League, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 have already had a female referee. "Promoting women's football will help continue its growth, especially with how it's growing after the Euros. formId: "1e092068-e6c8-4d90-9b3f-cc61c5958770" Ref 1 Edward Smart Asst. [28], She is married to Robert Ellis, who is also a football referee. Rebecca Welch, who became a referee in 2010, recently made history as the first female appointed to take charge of an EFL match in April 2021. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The English Football League (EFL) has appointed it's very first female referee. Fearn became the first female to referee an FA Cup game in the main draw in 2013. became the first woman to officiate the Club World Cup. The officiating crew was led by Center Referee Tori Penso, while Karen Diaz of Mexico and Stephanie-Dale Yee Sing of Jamaica served as Assistant Referees. Sian Louise Massey-Ellis MBE (ne Massey; born 5 October 1985) is an English football match official who officiates generally in the role of assistant referee in the Premier League and the Football League.She has also been appointed to matches in the Football League Trophy, UEFA Women's Champions League, FIFA Women's World Cup qualification rounds, the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA . There are more than 50 female officials across the Premier League, Championship, Women's Super League and Women's Championship. Frappart becomes first female ref in men's WCQ, Massey-Ellis: Fine line between criticism and sexism. "Getting to officiate finals is one of the coolest perks about our jobs, having the opportunity to be involved with women's football and helping to grow the game. Rebecca Welch becomes first female referee to be appointed to EFL game ahead of Harrogate Town vs Port Vale, Rebecca Welch has told Sky Sports News of her pride and excitement as she is set to become the first female appointed to referee a game in the English Football League. "They are recognised for their excellent performances on the field of play. Steinhaus-Webb, who became the first woman to referee a German top-flight men's game in September 2017, now oversees the development of female officials for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in England. Meet Rebecca Welch, the English Football League's first female referee The answer is soon, according to Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb, who broke the same ground in the Bundesliga and is now in charge of England's elite female officiating talent. Hopefully, in a few years time, people will know who the Leeds players are. Those 156 associations have a total of 2,823 referees of which 822 (29.12%) are women who are accredited as follows: Fortuna Dusseldorfs Kerem Demirbay being sent off by female referee Bibiana Steinhaus in 2015. The 37-year-old, who has refereed men's matches in the National League and top women's games like the FA Cup final back in 2017, was chosen following an ongoing review of her performances during the current season. "Twenty minutes into one game, somebody sat in the stand next to my dad didn't even realise the ref was a female. "Back in my time, all you could do was come down to your local pitch and play with your mates on a Saturday, go to the pub and that was it. over the past year since I became an expat. Jonsson, who started refereeing in 1983, recalls that it was the first competitive international tournament in which women officiated. Welch said it was only recently that she had come to consider her position as a pioneer. [20] In September 2007 Massey was assistant referee at England Women's 21 international friendly defeat by Denmark Women. Welsh will be the first female referee to have been officially appointed to oversee an EFL game, 'Anyone can referee' says UK's first Muslim female ref. The Premier League is still waiting for a similar milestone, so when might a woman take charge of a top-flight men's game in England? She has already taken charge of the 2017 Women's FA Cup final and mens matches in the National League, and she is now in contention for Fifa selection for the Womens World Cup in 2023. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Follow live updates as Arsenal travel to Wolfsburg in the first leg of their Women's Champions League semi-final. "[I like] the games when nobody remembers who the ref is. Arda refereed for thirty years in Turkey and Germany. As the team captains greeted each other and the referees for the coin toss, I noticed something out of the ordinary: All of the referees were women! World Cup history made as first female referees officiate at men's As CONMEBOL said about the historic appointment of an all-female officiating crew for the Copa Libertadores match, It is further proof of the organizations commitment to the development and professionalization of more women on and off the field, promoting gender equality and providing more decision-making spaces., As Football Makes History states, It is a step towards equality, but there is still a long way to go before female referees no longer make history in mens football. There is no stopping us now and I cant wait to see what many more great accomplishments are ahead for women referees and women referee coaches, instructors, observers and administrators., Many of the worlds top soccer organizations have implemented changes to better support women in football, so I expect to see more women officiating at the top levels of the mens game. LV= County Championship . Steinhaus-Webb, who became the first woman to referee. In January 2021, three women became the first to control a match at a senior Confederation of African Football (CAF) mens tournament. I never want to be appointed based on anything else. Tambini has since officiated over a number of big games, including the 2019 Italian Cup Final between Juventus and Fiorentina. It looks so cool and different compared to the other trophies. Four officials have been promoted to the Premier League for the 2022-23 season, with Natalie Aspinall to become the second female assistant referee. (Photo at top: Stphanie Frappart and her assistants Manuela Nicolosi and Michelle ONeill before the UEFA Super Cup game in 2019. The first female referee in FIFA was Jacqui Melksham, who was approved in 2005. Premier League Referees - Appointments, News and Videos "It's not something I thought that, when I decided to be a referee 11 years ago, I would be in the Football League doing a game. In 2019, she became the first female referee to take charge of a Ligue 1 match, in August 2019 the first to take charge of a major men's European match, and in 2020, the first to officiate a men . ", Maddie, Poppy, Summer & Zoie (Stourbridge Women fans). Who are the Premier League referees? 2022/23 officials, salaries and The competitiveness is just as strong, though, compared to other leagues because everyone wants to win. Mr. Shafiqul is the Chief Sports Editor of Fast Sportsly. entertainment, news presenter | 4.8K views, 28 likes, 13 loves, 80 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from GBN Grenada Broadcasting Network: GBN. "We also play football ourselves, which is why we are interested and involved. "Regardless of where I am, I will always end up at a sporting event with a camera. Because that means that it is normal., Sometimes you have to lose to win, right? Football has already seen three female assistant referees in the Football League - Fearn, Wendy Toms and Sian Massey-Ellis - and Welch admitted it felt strange to be thrust in the spotlight. Who is Kateryna Monzul? History-making female referee set to - Goal Frappart, 36, will take hold of the Juventus-Dynamo Kiev match in Turin. External Link, Be wary of future Brighton rotation in FPL, FPL player price changes - rises, falls and top transfers for Gameweek 35, Gameweek 34 FPL stats: Haaland rewards as Triple Captain, Double Gameweek 34 FPL bonus points: Pickford hauls, Chelsea to play Borussia Dortmund in Chicago Looking back on her unlikely route into refereeing, Welch said the fixture is "amazing for me". However, at the time, they could not be appointed to games because there were no women on the 1991 FIFA List of Referees. Thus women didnt reach the top levels of officiating the mens game until the 90s. I'm very fortunate to have been given this opportunity and I'm really excited about it. However, Welch will be the first female referee to have been officially appointed for a game. became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup game. Thus, the Copa Libertadores game I watched last week was the first time in history that there were, Because I like to use raw data to make comparisons, I downloaded the, my incognito searches for female soccer referees in English and Spanish returned more than half of the first page results with titles that include the words most beautiful/sexy/hottest., said about the historic appointment of an all-female officiating crew for the Copa Libertadores match, It is further proof of the organizations commitment to the development and professionalization of more women on and off the field, promoting gender equality and providing more decision-making spaces., Brighton & Hove Albion Tickets & Hospitality, Queens Park Rangers Tickets & Hospitality, England National Team Tickets & Hospitality, Scottish Premiership Tickets & Hospitality, UEFA Champions League Tickets & Hospitality, UEFA Europa Conference League Tickets & Hospitality, Paris Saint-Germain Tickets & Hospitality, 2021 FIFA List of International Match Officials, Netflix Series "Losers" Reveals an Amazing Story From English Soccer History, Interested in Soccer History? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Frappart to become first female referee in UEFA Champions League If I finish in the top one or two per cent at the end of the season, I put myself in a position to be selected. "We need more people involved, more fans and more broadcast events. Four fouls in 90 (well, 93 plus first-half stoppages) minutes doesn't sound like many but the upper limit for the average Premier League regular is lower than two a game. Rebecca Welch made history on Monday as she became the first appointed female referee to take charge of an English Football League (EFL) game. Read about our approach to external linking. And the first female lead referee for an international match organized by UEFA was Nicole Petignat (Switzerland) in 2003. recently made history as the first female appointed to take charge of an, , as of June 2020, there were 2,146 women refereeing across all levels of English football. "I'm still trying to let it sink in," Welch told Sky Sports News. It is the highest standard for a female referee yet in the mens game and, it is hoped, a harbinger of much more progress. In the men's game, my next promotion would be the Football League. Rebecca Welch pictured during the 2020 Womens FA Cup final. Ingrid Jonsson (Sweden) and five other female assistant referees were invited to China for the inaugural FIFA Womens World Cup. Massey-Ellis has also refereed at the Womens World Cup and the Olympic Games. The Dane who helped rebuild Zambia's football team Female referees can promote women's right in Qatar- Frappart, Wendy Toms was the first female assistant referee in the Premier League in 1997, but only two women have followed since, with. "It's happening university has finished and I am going all out," Roble, whose family moved to London from Somalia when she was just 10 to escape the country's civil war, told the Press Association. "Looking into the National League, it takes me back to when I was trying to balance an education to playing football and trying to train everyday while also having other commitments as I couldnt focus on football full-time at this level. They're really proud. But Welch taking her place in the elite men's game in England, along with referees in Europe like Stephanie Frappart and Kateryna Monzul - who both became the first women to referee men's World Cup qualifiers last weekend - help silence outdated views, and move the sport on. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. "Millie Rogers is our favourite player from Stourbridge Women's. But the television cameras will be there, and viewers will see a woman take charge of an elite men's match in England. Welch, who was recently promoted to UEFA's elite category of officials, has refereed in the National League for the past three seasons and has taken charge of the Women's FA Cup final at Wembley. Bundesliga in 2007 and established her name as the first female referee in German mens professional football. "The professional behaviour we can see now in the whole environment, it is absolutely overwhelming.". For reference, the Copa Libertadores is the highest level of competition in South American club football. "I am absolutely certain we will see a female referee in the Premier League at some point, short down the road," she told BBC Sport. "We've done much better, of course we have, but we still have a big gap of women coming through, and that's for lots of different reasons," she added. I truly love what I do! Welch, who earns 120 per National League match, is aware of well-publicised cases of sexism towards female officials in the past but says she has never encountered that personally. "I got the news on Saturday and haven't come back down to earth yet. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. It marked the first time that an all-female team officiated a continental mens match in Asia. "It's great to see the game has changed since I started watching it by including women's games seriously, and it's amazing to see how professional the leagues are forming. ", Paige Williams (Leeds United Women midfielder). Her colleague. 2023 BBC. You can tell by all the fans that have arrived here today from all over the country that it is in a really good place, particularly for a fourth-tier game. AP. She was the first woman to referee a mens professional football match in Europe and is currently the only female referee in the top division of any European country. Trailblazer Rebecca Welch targeting Premier League referee role and External Link, Benitez: Man City know how to win different ways, 'Premier League Supports' to highlight help wider football receives, Premier League Supports: How we helped Peacehaven, Leicester out of bottom three after draw with Everton, Premier League weekend review: What we learned, Record breaker Haaland: Amazing stats of Man city's phenomenon, Premier League clubs' pre-season summer 2023 friendlies, Alvarez wonder strike puts Man City back on top, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard. External Link, Arsenal to play Manchester United in New York , who claims to be the worlds leading expert on the evolution of the Laws of the Game and the history of women referees in mens football has thoroughly researched the subject and created a comprehensive. They have to be good enough, but we have got girls coming through now who are possibly good enough.". Rebecca Welch, who became a referee in 2010, recently made history as the first female appointed to take charge of an EFL match in April 2021. Papers: Big Sam or Bowyer to replace Gracia at Leeds? Lucy has been officiating football matches since she was 15 and has since become one of the most respected referees in the game. BHA 6 - 0 WOL. Ref 1 Scott Ledger Asst. Rebecca Welch has become the first female referee to be appointed to a game in the English Football League, it has been announced.