This archive report was first published on 25 October 2019.
On Thursday, Sian Massey-Ellis made history by becoming the first English woman to officiate at a men's European fixture, officiating at the Europa League Group D match between PSV Eindhoven and LASK, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
Published on October 25, 2019, this achievement is another landmark in Massey-Ellis's career, following her role as the first woman to officiate in the Community Shield for Manchester City's victory over Liverpool in August.
With a wealth of experience, including officiating in the Women's World Cup and the Women's Champions League final, Massey-Ellis is a regular in the Premier League and has expressed her delight at seeing the increasing prevalence of female officials in the men's game.
"It's been a dream of mine to officiate in a European competition," she said in quotes reported by BBC Sport.
However, the pay disparity between male and female referees remains a pressing issue, with top Premier League officials earning towards £100,000 per year, while their female counterparts in the Women's Super League are paid a fraction of that amount, with women referees earning less than £4,000 per year.
