The Montserrat Football Association (MFA) has appointed Ajahnii Lewis as Interim Head of Refereeing, marking an important first step towards establishing a structured refereeing programme within the Association.

Lewis’ appointment follows the Introductory Refereeing Course held in Montserrat in July 2026, which formed part of the MFA’s efforts to renew interest in refereeing and begin developing local capacity in this important area of the game.

Having participated in the course, Lewis demonstrated a keen interest in refereeing, a good understanding of the areas introduced and, importantly, an openness and willingness to continue learning and developing. These qualities led the Association to identify him to assist with taking the next steps in developing refereeing locally.

In his interim role, Lewis will work closely with the MFA General Secretariat to coordinate refereeing activities and support efforts to recruit, train and develop local match officials. He will also assist with laying the groundwork for a structured refereeing programme as the Association continues to build capacity in this area.

As one of his first development opportunities in the role, Lewis represented Montserrat at the 2026 Concacaf Head of Refereeing Workshop, held at Concacaf Headquarters in Miami, Florida, on September 24, 2026.

The workshop brought together Heads of Refereeing from Concacaf Member Associations and formed part of the Confederation’s efforts to elevate the standard of refereeing across the region. The sessions focused on providing Member Associations with knowledge and strategic guidance to support the management, training, education and development of referees, instructors and assessors.

Reflecting on the experience, Lewis said:

“The workshop was very informative and gave me some of the basic tools and knowledge I will need as I take on this role. It was also a great opportunity to learn from others working in refereeing across the region and to gain a better understanding of how refereeing is structured and developed within other Member Associations.  The experience opened my eyes to the work that needs to be done here in Montserrat, but also to the opportunities we have to develop refereeing. I know there is a lot for me to learn, and I am looking forward to continuing to develop, working with the General Secretariat and playing my part in building refereeing on the island.”

MFA General Secretary Thandie Williams said Lewis’ appointment represents the beginning of a wider effort to establish a structured approach to refereeing within the Association. “This is only the beginning. Ajahnii’s appointment is one of our first steps towards establishing a structured refereeing programme in Montserrat. Over the coming months, we intend to provide further training and development opportunities for persons interested in becoming match officials and create a pathway for our referees to learn, develop and progress. We are grateful to Concacaf for its continued guidance and support as we build this area of our game.”

The MFA will continue its work towards establishing a structured refereeing programme and will announce further referee training and development opportunities in the coming months.