Referee Sunny Singh Gill is set to make Premier League history as the first British South Asian to officiate in the top flight.

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – JANUARY 27: Referee Sunny Singh Gill made headlines as he officiated the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Bramall Lane on January 27, 2024 in Sheffield, England. Now, Gill is set to make history once again as he becomes the first British South Asian referee in the Premier League.

This Saturday, he will take charge of the match between Luton Town and Crystal Palace.

Gill’s achievement is even more remarkable considering that he is only the seventh referee outside of the PGMOL’s Select Group to officiate a top-flight game this season. Earlier in the season, he became the first British South Asian to referee a match between two Premier League teams when he was in the middle for the FA Cup fourth round tie between Brighton and Hove Albion and Sheffield United.

Football runs in Gill’s family, with his father Jarnail being the first and only referee in English league football to wear a turban. Jarnail Singh Gill officiated 150 matches over six years between 2004 and 2010. Gill’s brother Bhupinder also made history as the first Sikh-Punjabi linesman in the Premier League when he assisted Southampton and Nottingham Forest in January 2023.

Reflecting on his journey, Gill shared, “Football has always run in the family. Me and my brother grew up loving the game and like most young kids, we just wanted to play. But in our household, it was a bit different because when we were going to primary school, we knew our dad was going out to referee on a weekend. There were times he was a fourth official in the Premier League and our friends would say they saw him on Match of the Day!”

Gill’s path to the Premier League has not been easy. Alongside officiating EFL games, he used to work as a prison officer. He refereed his first Sunday League match at the age of 17 and officiated an EFL game alongside his brother in April 2021. Gill’s hard work and dedication have paid off, and he expressed his gratitude to the PGMOL and his coaches for their support.

Speaking to Sky Sports last year, Gill said, “It’s been a lot of hard work training away from the pitch, improving in every department with the help of the PGMOL and my coaches. I now want to set more goals and fulfill my dream of becoming the first South Asian to referee in the Premier League.”

This weekend, Gill will take a step closer to achieving that dream as he steps onto the pitch for the historic match between Luton Town and Crystal Palace.