On Saturday night (23rd) in the Premier League, a seemingly dull game between Fulham and Burnley at home was made extraordinary by a special protagonist. The protagonist was Rebecca Wedge, a female referee making her debut in the Premier League. Not only did she become the first female referee in the English Men's Football League two years ago, but she has now gone one step further by becoming the first female referee to officiate in the Premier League, and she has won praise for her outstanding performance. The Premier League has been plagued with controversy over refereeing errors in recent years, and the addition of Rebecca Wedge to the team may bring a new turnaround to the league.
Rebecca Wedge, 40, has been a part-time referee since 2010 and turned full-time in 2019. She focuses on the enforcement of women's soccer matches, including the Women's Premier League, and in 2021 she became the first female referee to officiate in the English men's soccer league when she was appointed to officiate at the League Two match between Harrogate and Port Vale. Now she has broken through again, becoming the first female Premier League referee in the 135 years of the English top flight's existence.
