Clinton Hayward has been logging plenty of flying miles lately as he travels on official Concacaf duty in the Caribbean and Central America.

Fresh off running the line in the Concacaf Men’s Under-17 World Cup Qualifier in Guatemala this month, the assistant referee was back in action for the Concacaf Champions Cup match between Philadelphia Union and Defence Force FC in Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday night.

It is the first time a Bermudian has officiated in the competition and an historic opportunity Hayward is proud and grateful to have been given.

“I am incredibly proud and grateful for the opportunity to officiate in the Concacaf Champions Cup match in Trinidad last night,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“It’s an honour to represent Bermuda on this stage and a milestone moment in my refereeing journey.”

It has been a wonderful start to the year for Hayward, who along with fellow referee assistants Stefan Maybury and Natasha Trott and referee Amaury Majors have been reappointed to Fifa’s International List this year.

“My short-term goal is to earn an appointment to the Concacaf Gold Cup and in the long term I aspire to officiate at a FIFA Youth World Cup and ultimately the senior FIFA World Cup,” he said.

“I want to sincerely thank my instructors, the Bermuda Football Association, my family, and my Head of Referees, Mr Crenstant Williams, for their continued guidance and support.”

Williams, chairman of the Bermuda Football Association Referee Committee, hailed Hayward’s appointment in Trinidad.

“We are extremely proud of Clinton Hayward’s historic appointment to officiate in the Concacaf Champions Cup match in Trinidad,” he said.

“This achievement demonstrates that we have the talent, quality and dedication right here in Bermuda to compete and perform at the highest regional levels.

“We hope this milestone will inspire more individuals to take up officiating and see that there is a clear pathway for development and advancement. We are delighted to see our officials being given opportunities to work in higher-tier matches, which is a testament to their hard work and commitment.

“Our short-term goal is to have a full Bermudian officiating team appointed to the Concacaf Gold Cup, and in the long term to see a team represent Bermuda at a FIFA Youth World Cup and ultimately the senior FIFA World Cup.

“This is all part of our strategic plan to elevate refereeing standards and international representation for Bermuda.”