Crenstant Williams is thrilled that local referee assistants Natasha Trott, Clinton Hayward and Stefan Maybury have been retained on the Fifa Referees List for next year.

“First and foremost, congratulations to the three match officials retaining their spots for 2023,” Williams, the head of referees for the Bermuda Football Association’s referees committee, said.

“It has not been easy as there have been a lot of challenges this year. It has been very challenging in terms of fitness, training and different things that have transpired but they have persevered to the end.”

The three assistant referees were put forward for re-selection earlier this year as Fifa requires them to reapply annually but Williams always expected them to keep their place on the list.

“I was not surprised. I expected them to come back on because they put in the work,” he said. “We have to resubmit their names at the end of September and then they let us know in December.”.

Fifa requires all candidates to officiate in the top league in their countries, possess good assessment reports, perform well at appointed international tournaments, pass a fitness test and have an excellent knowledge of the laws of the game and Williams hopes to one day have local officials involved in a youth or senior World Cup.

“Our long term plan is to hopefully see one of the match officials at a World Cup; whether it be under-17 or under-20s,” he added. “The ultimate aim is to go to the senior men’s World Cup.”

If all goes accordingly, Williams hopes to see more referee assistants and the first referee under his watch added to the Fifa Referees List in 2024.

“We have three other persons that are in the wings for 2024 and one of them will be, under my watch, our first Fifa referee,” he said.

“Tashun Simons came off as a referee assistant because he wants to go back on as a referee, so we are working on getting him there next year.

“We are hoping to move to a different level for 2023 and the goal is to have a full team for 2024.”