Thu Sep 19 08:02:16 UTC 2024: ## Women’s Super League Referees Step Up Their Game to Keep Pace with Rising Talent

**LONDON, ENGLAND –** As the Women’s Super League (WSL) continues to attract investment and see a surge in player quality, referees are having to up their game to keep pace. This is according to Emily Carney, a 26-year-old assistant referee who has been involved in the WSL for five seasons and even officiated at this summer’s Olympic Games.

“Players are always becoming faster and stronger,” Carney told BBC Sport. “As officials, we have to match them. We have got more tactical now.”

Carney explained that referees are now undergoing more detailed analysis, watching videos, and even receiving guidance from former professional players to understand the evolving tactics and strategies of the WSL players.

“We look at the transfer market and assess players who might come into the league,” she added. “We want to know what players we come up against.”

Carney, who was inducted into the PGMOL Hall of Fame earlier this year, emphasized the increasing pressure on referees as the league gains wider visibility. “Pressure is a privilege and we love our jobs,” she said. “It just shows how big the league is now, that we are fortunate to have such a prestigious league in our country.”

The WSL season kicks off on Friday, and Carney and her fellow referees are prepared. They participated in a pre-season camp in August, where they underwent physical training and learned new guidelines issued by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). They also benefited from training programs by sport scientists to ensure they are ready for the demands of the new season.

Carney’s career is a testament to the progress being made in women’s refereeing. She started her career in the lower leagues as the only female referee, but now there are more women officials than ever before. “People used to double-take when a female match official walked on the pitch but now I think we’re part of the furniture,” she said.

She credits the trailblazing work of Sian Massey-Ellis, Natalie Aspinall, and Rebecca Welch, who broke barriers in the Premier League, for paving the way for more women to officiate in the sport. Carney sees the future of English refereeing as bright, particularly with the leadership of Welch and Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb, who are “unstoppable” in their roles.

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