In a historic moment for English football, Rebecca Welch is poised to become the first woman to referee a Premier League game, leading the charge in the Fulham vs. Burnley match on Dec, 23.

This milestone is matched by Sam Allison, who will be the first black referee in a top-flight game in 15 years, taking charge of the Sheffield United vs. Luton Town match on Dec. 26, following Uriah Rennie's legacy.

Welch's journey to this achievement has been remarkable. Last month, she became the first woman to act as a fourth official in a Premier League game during Fulham's matchup against Manchester United. Now, she steps into a more prominent role with her own game to oversee. Howard Webb, the referees' chief, praised Welch for her calm demeanor and decision-making skills. He also compared her to Stephanie Frappart, the French official who worked in the Champions League this year.

“She does command a lot of respect in a pretty understated way. She has a good reading of the game, she is an accurate decision-maker, a good athlete on the field, too,” Webb said, via Dale Johnson of ESPN.  “When you meet her, she's not got huge stature in terms of being really tall but she has a presence about her. She's a really determined official. She is similar in some ways to Stephanie Frappart.”

“She's worked hard physically, technically and really does deserve this opportunity. I went to see her myself recently in a game in the Championship and was highly impressed by what I saw in terms … and I've got no doubt she'll show all of those qualities at Fulham,” he added.

The 39-year-old Welch, who left her job as an administrator in the National Health Service, has seen a meteoric rise in her refereeing career. She became the first female to take charge of a Championship game in January, officiating a match between Birmingham City and Preston North End. Her international experience includes refereeing at the Women's World Cup and taking charge of the Women's FA Cup final in 2017 and 2020.

Sam Allison, paralleling Welch's achievement, has his own unique journey. A former youth player with various clubs and a career in non-league football, Allison juggled his duties as a firefighter with his refereeing aspirations. He progressed to become the third black referee appointed to the EFL in the 2020-21 season and now stands as only the second black referee in the top division, having left his firefighting career to focus on refereeing full-time.

These appointments are part of a broader initiative by PGMOL, the refereeing body in England, to promote diversity in the professional game.