Koirala achieved another milestone in 2026

Nepal’s historic international rugby referee, Prem Bahadur Koirala, has departed for Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to officiate in the Central and South Asia (CASA) Rugby Sevens Tournament taking place from May 17 to May 18, 2026. Before his departure, Koirala received an official farewell from National Sports Council Member Secretary Ram Charitra Mehta. This high-profile assignment follows Koirala’s major career milestone in December 2023, when he became the first World Rugby Level 2 Certified Referee in Nepal’s history.

A former player for the Nepal National Rugby Team and a key figure at the Gorkhali Rugby Club, Koirala transitioned from national representation to officiating, marking his international referee debut at the Sri Lanka School National Tournament. His selection for the CASA tournament underscores his rising profile and the growing footprint of Nepali officiating on the international rugby stage.

Prem Bahadur Koirala has built a historic officiating career, transitioning from his referee debut in 2018 to officiating prestigious regional and continental tournaments. His verified previous tournaments and assignments as a referee include

• KLK Borneo Sevens (Malaysia): Appointed as an official match referee in April 2025 for this prestigious international tournament.
• AREST Oman Sevens (Muscat): Served as a match referee during the 2025 tournament held in Oman.
• Sri Lanka School National Tournament: Marked his official international rugby referee debut here in 2023.
• Asia Rugby U18 & U20 Tournaments: Served as a match official for these highly competitive continental youth tournaments.