Female umpire to make historic AFL debut

Eleni Glouftsis will become the first female field umpire in AFL premiership season history on Sunday after being appointed to Essendon's clash with West Coast.

Glouftsis, who turned 25 on Monday, made her pre-season debut in 2016 and returned to blow the whistle in four JLT Community Series games earlier this year.

The Adelaide product has umpired 33 VFL games and has won selection after being named an emergency 10 times.

Glouftsis started umpiring in 2008 in junior football in Adelaide before graduating to take charge in 15 SANFL games.

The AFL has previously had three female goal umpires, with Chelsea Roffey waving the flags in the 2012 grand final between Sydney and Hawthorn.