Meet Sunny Singh Gill: First English Premier League Referee of Indian Descent

Producer: Peuli Bakshi

Sunny Singh Gill is poised to make history as the first referee of Indian descent to officiate an English Premier League game on March 9 (Sat).

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The 39-year-old has been appointed as the referee for Crystal Palace’s match against Luton at Selhurst Park in London.

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It marks a significant milestone as “he will become the first British South Asian to referee a match in the competition,” the league said.

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Sunny follows in the footsteps of his father, Jarnail Singh Gill, who remains the only English league football referee to have worn a turban.

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Jarnail Singh Gill moved to England at the age of 3, with his mother and sister and officiated nearly 200 matches across divisions until 2010.

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Sunny's brother, Bhupinder, is also a referee, further highlighting the family's deep connection to football.

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“Football has always run in the family...Me and my brother grew up loving the game”, Sunny Singh Gill told the English Football League last year.

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Sunny officiated his first Sunday League match at the age of 17, marking the beginning of his refereeing journey.

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The achievements of the Singh Gill family underscore the growing diversity and inclusivity within English football officiating.

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