Rebecca Welch hopes to pass on legacy to other female referees
Welch has officiated at some of football’s biggest competitions, including the Women’s FA Cup and UEFA Champions League finals, as well as the 2022 Women’s European Championship when the Lionesses were crowned champions on home soil.
But Welch said her proudest moment was refereeing at Wembley for the first time and seeing it become a regular feature of the women’s game.
“The Women’s FA Cup final is just starting to be played there – that’s where the game should be,” Welch said.
“That was special. It will always be (as a proud moment) for me. But there’s a lot. I feel like my career has grown with the WSL.
“I’ve been there since the beginning so my journey has been part of growing up. We need to keep up with what’s going on in the WSL and as referees we need to be there.”
WSL referees are yet to become full-time referees and Welch said “discussions will be held with the Women’s Professional League Limited (WPLL)”.
“I think that will happen in the future. The league is full-time now and has been for many years,” she added.
“While the referees are professional in everything they do, there is still a full-time element missing. We will have some conversations and go from there.”
Welch’s decision to quit refereeing came as a surprise, but she admitted it had been “on her mind” for months.
“I’ve been to Wembley, the Euros, the World Cup and refereed in the Premier League and I always want to be at my best during the game,” Welch said.
“I think it would be nice to be able to do it in a big event and the Olympics are a good competition too.
“The role at PGMOL comes at the perfect time and means I can still be involved in the development of the WSL and Women’s Championship.”
