Huge date this weekend for North Wales referee Cheryl Foster
MERTHYR TYDFIL, WALES - 23 APRIL 2023: Match referee Cheryl Foster during the 2022/23 FAW Women's Cup Final between Cardiff City Women & Briton Ferry Llansawel Ladies, Penydarren Park, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales (Pic By Ashley Crowden/FAW)
Llandudno’s Cheryl Foster will become the first-ever Welsh match official to referee a UEFA Women’s Champions League Final when FC Barcelona and VFL Wolfsburg meet in Eindhoven on Saturday.
The JD Cymru Premier and Genero Adran Premier referee will be at the centre of European club football’s showpiece final at PSV Stadion.
FAW national match officials manager Lee Evans said: “It’s absolutely wonderful news.
“What an achievement for Cheryl. I am so proud of her. An appointment to such a prestigious final shows that hard work and dedication really pays off and the rewards are there for all to see.”
This appointment is the latest in a string of high-profile games that Foster has been entrusted to referee by FIFA, UEFA and the FAW.
A former Cymru international player, she has officiated at the highest level of both men’s and women’s domestic football in Wales for several seasons. Most recently, she was in charge of the 2023 FAW Women’s Cup Final.
Hailing from Llandudno, she earned her FIFA Badge in 2016 and officiated the UEFA EURO 2022 semi-final between France and Germany last season.
Following this summer’s UWCL Final, Foster will be heading to Australia and New Zealand to officiate at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
CHERYL FOSTER FACTFILE
- Born: October 4, 1980
- After starting football career at Conwy Devils, she moved to Bangor City, finishing top-scorer in every season between 1999/00 and 2002/03 and winning the Welsh Cup twice.
- Joined Liverpool in 2003 and by 2009-10 was the Reds’ longest serving player.
- That 2009-10 season she was the Northern Division top marks-woman with 16 goals as Liverpool romped to the title.
- Cheryl and Liverpool team-mate Kelly Jones joined FAI Women’s Cup winners St Francis on loan for a 2010–11 UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying tournament in August 2010.
- After being released by Liverpool in 2012, Cheryl had a brief spell at Doncaster Rovers Belles before deciding to retire and take up refereeing.
- Won 63 full caps for Wales between 1997-2011
- Started training as a referee in 2013 after retiring as a professional footballer aged 32.
- In December 2015, was appointed to FIFA’s international list.
- She has since refereed the Women’s Welsh Cup Final, led the first all-women officials team in a men’s final and been the woman in the middle in several internationals, including the Uefa Euro Under-17s.
- Also regularly referees in the men’s tier 1 Cymru Premier League.
- Cheryl was just one of three new women Elite referees appointed for 2020-21, alongside Marta Huerta de Aza (ESP) and Tess Olofsson (SWE).
- In 2021-22 she refereed UEFA Women’s Champions League fixtures at Lyon, Real Madrid and Juventus as well as 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers in Denmark and Croatia.
- 2022 – Chosen to referee at the UEFA Women’s Euros. Officiated the semi-final between France and Germany.
- 2023 – Refereed 2023 FAW Women’s Cup Final.
- 2023 – Will become the first-ever Welsh match official to referee a UEFA Women’s Champions League Final