Cheryl Foster

Cheryl is a former Welsh international footballer from Llandudno. After retiring Cheryl became a referee and has dedicated herself to football refereeing internationally and for her country.

Cheryl has represented Wales at the highest level, becoming the first Welsh female referee at the UEFA Women's Euro 2022. In the following year, Cheryl officiated the UEFA Women’s Champions League final between Barcelona and Wolfsburg. She then became the first Welsh referee since 1978 to officiate at a FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia 2023.

In a field which can often be male dominated Cheryl has been a trailblazer for Welsh sport, pursuing a pathway in refereeing to challenge stereotypes and prove that females in sport deserve an equal standing with their male counter parts.

Cheryl has dedicated hours of her free time to talk to upcoming young referees and footballers, thus inspiring children and particularly young girls to overcome barriers and prejudice to pursue their dreams.

As a role model in Welsh female sport, Cheryl has also been the driving force behind sustaining opportunities for women in the FAW as shown by the need to create a role of Female Referee's Development Officer. She has also most recently been involved in a FAW campaign to stop abuse of match officials.

As the popularity of women’s football continues to grow, Cheryl has left a legacy which shows an aspirational path to success for others to follow and build on.