Sian Massey-Ellis MBE has announced her retirement as a Premier League assistant referee. The decision closes more than a 15-year run as a top-flight official.
She moves straight into a new post at the Football Association, as Senior Manager – Women Referees.
Sian takes up the role in September, with a focus on supporting and developing the growing pool of female match officials, and building a pathway for the next generation.
She confirmed the decision in her retirement statement, posted on LinkedIn.
“Although I am stepping away from the touchline, I am not stepping away from football. If my journey has helped change perceptions, open doors or inspire even one young person to believe they belong in the game, then I will consider that one of my greatest achievements,” she said.
Massey-Ellis added that football had “challenged her, tested her resilience and pushed her to become a better professional and person.” What she would treasure most, she noted, were the people and experiences that have defined her journey.
That, in her own words, is the balance sheet of a 15-year career — tested, changed, and grateful for it.
She made her Premier League debut in 2010 — only the second woman ever to reach the competition. Since then, she has officiated in more than 150 top-flight matches.
The firsts stacked up fast. First female assistant referee at the FA Community Shield. First woman involved in a men’s FA Cup final, serving as assistant VAR in 2021. A repeat AVAR appointment followed at the 2025 Carabao Cup final.
In 2019, she went further still — the first English woman to officiate a men’s European fixture, taking charge as assistant referee for a UEFA Europa League tie between PSV Eindhoven and LASK.
On Aug. 10, Massey-Ellis in another post reminisced on her final outing from the previous day, writing, “Yesterday was my last one. Arsenal. My final game… One final walk off and one final time doing the job I’ve loved for so long.”
Domestically, her record includes five Women’s FA Cup finals.
Her international record runs in parallel.
She was reserve assistant referee at the UEFA Women’s Champions League finals of 2013 and 2017, before being appointed to officiate the 2018 final outright.
Sian Massey-Ellis represented England at four UEFA Women’s European Championships, including the 2013 final, and returned at the 2025 tournament with two quarter-final appointments as assistant VAR.
FIFA selected her for the 2019 and 2023 Women’s World Cups, where she served as video match official for the 2023 third-place play-off.
She was made an MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours list, cited for services to football.
Pro Ref’s Chief Refereeing Officer, Howard Webb, called her “nothing short of a powerhouse throughout her career,” pointing to her advocacy for women in officiating alongside her performances on the pitch. “She’s broken multiple barriers and set the standard for those coming through in her footsteps,” Webb said.
That advocacy now becomes her job description.
The FA’s Director of Professional Game Relations, Andy Ambler, said Massey-Ellis will work with female match officials across the country, tasked with building “a clear, inclusive, and sustainable pathway from new recruits through to the semi-professional and elite environments.”
He added that she brings to the role “a wealth of refereeing experience and knowledge.”
“I’m excited by the opportunity to help support, develop and inspire the next generation of match officials, giving something back to a sport that has done so much for me,” Sian wrote.
