The first time someone suggested LaShell Nelson consider being a football referee, she was a 20-something playing in a flag football league in Texas. “I said, ‘Hell no. I don’t want to be yelled at,’” ...

Akil Howson will serve as one of England’s assistants for the final. His inclusion is a landmark achievement, building on his ...

Akil Howson will make history as the first Black official to feature in an FA Cup final when he serves as an assistant referee for the 2026 clash between Chelsea and Manchester City. This appointment ...

Racist attitudes in the 1970s and '80s may have denied a trailblazer from north London the opportunity to be the Football League's first black referee. Emerson Griffith's appointment to the league's ...

Akil Howson will become the first black official to feature in an FA Cup final when Chelsea take on Manchester City next month.

His appointment for the prestigious match between Manchester City and Chelsea on 16 May also coincides with a historic moment for Akil Howson, who will become the first black official in the ...