Asia Rugby has officially announced the Emirates Match Officials appointed to officiate at the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2025, set to take place on 25 and 26 October 2025 in the Sultanate of Oman.
This year marks a historic milestone as Oman hosts the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy for the very first time, continuing its impressive journey as a fast-growing rugby nation within the region. The event will feature 18 teams, with 13 men’s and 5 women’s sides representing the diversity and unity of Asian rugby.
Teams Confirmed for Muscat Showdown
Men’s Teams (13): Afghanistan, Bahrain, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
Women’s Teams (5): Iran, Jordan, Korea, Lebanon, Uzbekistan.
A Key Pathway to the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series
The 2025 edition of the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy serves as a pathway tournament to the prestigious Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026, Asia Rugby’s top-tier competition. The recently concluded 2025 Series featured 24 teams across two rounds, breaking records in broadcast reach and social media engagement, with Japan Women and Hong Kong China Men crowned champions.
Emirates Match Officials Announced
The Asia Rugby Match Officials Selection and Appointments Panel (SAP), in consultation with the Match Officials Committee (MO Committee), has endorsed a talented group of referees and officials to oversee the two-day tournament in Muscat.
The appointed officials reflect Asia Rugby’s continued commitment to developing refereeing excellence across the continent and promoting inclusivity within the game.
Breakdown of Match Officials:
- Referees: 9 (3 Female, 6 Male) from 7 countries
- Assistant Referees: 4 from 4 countries
- CMO / Performance Reviewers: 2 from 2 countries
- Judicial Officer: 1 (Virtual)
- Citing Commissioners: 3 (Virtual) from 2 countries
- Match Officials Manager: 1
Notably, six of the nine referees selected are part of Asia Rugby’s Talent Identification Panel, underscoring the opportunities provided to emerging referees. The referees and assistant referees together represent 11 different countries, highlighting the regional diversity of Asia Rugby’s officiating pool.
Appointed Match Officials
Referees:
- Aymen Jriji (Saudi Arabia)
- Thomas Ngan (Hong Kong China)
- Raveen Alexandar ( Sri Lanka )
- Ishanka Abeykoon (Sri Lanka)
- Leow Wei Liang (Singapore)
- Priya Bansal (F) (India)
- Lorence Ishuga (UAE)
- Adeline Chew (F) (Singapore)
- Joanna Bezuidenhout (F) (Qatar)
Assistant Referees:
- Muhammad Ghalib Javed (Pakistan)
- Taha Mahmood Shihab (Iraq)
- Prem Koirala (Nepal)
- Amin Hosseinzadeh (Iran)
Performance Reviewers (CMOs):
- Simon Dodd (UAE)
- Anil Jayasinghe (Sri Lanka)
Match Officials Manager:
- Dilroy Fernando
Citing Commissioners (Virtual):
- Chris Galea (Singapore)
- Azhar Yousof ( Singapore)
- Norman Drake (UAE)
Judicial Officer (Virtual):
- Ramesh Lachmanan
Developing the Next Generation of Referees
Referee performance will be closely reviewed by the two CMOs and the Referee Manager, with detailed feedback provided to each match official. This initiative is part of Asia Rugby’s broader commitment to developing refereeing standards, consistency, and career pathways across the region.
Speaking on the appointments, Asia Rugby Referee Manager Dilroy Fernando said:
“This diverse and talented group of match officials reflects the tremendous progress we are seeing across Asia. The inclusion of six referees from the Talent ID panel and three female referees showcases Asia Rugby’s dedication to both referee development and gender inclusivity.”
Adding to this, Asia Rugby Vice President and Chairperson of the Referees Committee, Mr. Rizwan Malik, commented:
“Asia Rugby takes great pride in announcing the appointments of match officials for the upcoming Asia Rugby Emirates Seven Trophy in Oman. This event reflects our continued commitment to developing match officiating across the region. We are particularly pleased to provide opportunities for emerging Assistant Referees from Iran, Iraq, Nepal, and Pakistan to gain valuable international experience. I would like to extend my congratulations to all appointed officials for this prestigious event and wish them every success on and off the field.”
The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy 2025 promises to deliver thrilling rugby action, regional pride, and another step forward in Asia Rugby’s mission to strengthen the game across all levels from players and coaches to match officials.
