Welsh has also refereed in the Championship this year (Picture: Getty)
Rebecca Welch will become the Premier League’s first female referee when she takes charge of Fulham vs Burnley on 23 December.
Welch has already made her mark in the men’s game, becoming the first woman to be appointed to referee an EFL match in April 2021 and the first to take charge of a men’s FA Cup fixture in January 2022.
The 40-year-old served as a fourth official during Manchester United’s win over Fulham in November and will now take charge of the pre-Christmas fixture at Craven Cottage as the Premier League breaks new ground.
She has also officiated extensively in the Women’s Super League and Women’s Champions League having also featured in the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in the summer.
Sam Allison meanwhile will become the first black referee to officiate in the English top flight since Uriah Rennie 15 years ago when he oversees the Boxing Day clash between Sheffield United and Luton.
Allison, a former firefighter, was promoted to the Football League in 2020, moving up to the Championship at the start of the 2023/24 season.
More to follow