SUFFOLK official Abi Byrne said she was ‘immensely proud’ to be selected for her first FIFA tournament.

She will be officiating at the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, which is taking place in Dominican Republic from October 16th until November 3rd.

Abi is the only match official from England to be chosen among the 38 officials, who are made up of 12 teams of three, four of which are from Europe (UEFA) plus two support referees.

The 32-year-old, who lives near Mildenhall, will be officiating alongside assistants Ceri Williams from Wales and Poland’s Paulina Baranowska.

Abi, who refereed both the 2019 and 2024 Women’s FA Cup Finals at Wembley, explained the selection process for the tournament, and that games will be allocated on how officials perform in the early stages.

She said: “Our performances on international games are observed and used to select teams who might have the potential to go to major tournaments in the future, such the Euros or the World Cup. The hard part is fulfilling that potential.

“There's no set number of games as it depends on how we perform at the tournament. I will concentrate 100% on my first appointment to prepare and perform to the best of my ability, in the hope of earning further games in the tournament.”

It will be the first time she has officiated in the Caribbean and Abi said: “To be honest, I didn't realise that was on my bucket list until I received the appointment.

“I went on holiday to Jamaica a few years ago, so I know it'll be a warm and humid climate.”

Abi said of the16-team tournament: “This is my first FIFA tournament and first time refereeing outside of Europe. I see it as a major development in my career; something I'm immensely proud of. 

“I've been exceptionally lucky in my career to be involved in several major cup finals and big matches domestically. It's now my aim to progress myself internationally and have as many experiences as I can.”

Abi added: “Rebecca Welch (the first female to referee a Premier League match) attended major tournaments three years in a row; the 2022 Euros, 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics.

“Following her recent retirement into a coaching role, my aim is to follow her example and represent the FA/PGMOL to the best of my ability, although they are big shoes to fill and the pressure is on.”

Suffolk FA Referee Development Officer Ben Bowles said: “To see Abi being selected for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup is testament to her years of dedication and being the best she can be.

“Abi is a trailblazer within Suffolk and a role model to all match officials within our county.

“Everyone at Suffolk FA wishes Abi Good Luck for the tournament.”