Sevens Referee Renews Partnership with NextGenLive forthe 2026 Global Schools Challenge
Following a highly successful collaboration last year, Sevens Referee is proud to announce the continuation of our partnership with NextGenLive. Once again, we will be providing an elite team of match officFollowing a highly successful collaboration last year, Sevens Referee is proud to announce the continuation of our partnership with NextGenLive. Once again, we will be providing an elite team of match officials for the highly anticipated Global Schools Challenge, taking place this December in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Sevens Referee teamed up with NextGenLive in 2025 for a number of events where we worked alongside local match officials, as a result we went on to provide a world-class match official team for the Global Schools Challenge in Spain in December 2025.
This year, the focus is not just on officiating at the highest level, but on global development and creating lasting legacies. Alongside our experienced international referees, Sevens Referee will be running dedicated training and coaching programs for local referees from Thailand and across Southeast Asia. This initiative is designed to provide regional officials with the rare opportunity to work alongside and learn from some of the best and most promising officials from 3 continents. This event perfectly aligns with our ongoing, extensive work across Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia where we are already providing training programs and creating incredible opportunities for Malaysian match officials; a number of these talented officials have been invited to travel with us this summer to officiate during the European summer sevens season.
"We are absolutely thrilled that the Global Schools Challenge is coming to Southeast Asia this year. Not only is Chiang Mai a fantastic place to visit, but hosting the tournament here opens the door for young players across Asia to get involved in an incredible event that may have previously been too far away and unaffordable to access.”
The 2026 Global Schools Challenge not just about schools or in fact rugby. Aimed primarily at schools and sports teams although individuals can also registered and join a barbarians style team meeting new people, have an incredible new experiences and work with excellent coaches. This year we are also bringing in a new sport, netball. Running alongside the rugby with a shortened version of the game will be girls under 18 netball allowing schools to be represented on this incredible stage by boys and girls.
“It’s also a tremendous opportunity to showcase to teams from around the world te work we’ve been doing with match officials here in Southeast Asia. We want to work directly with these local referees, giving them the high-level experiences they need to improve and ultimately become a much bigger face on the world stage."
For more information or to ask any questions visit www.globalschoolschallenge.com or send us a messageials for the highly anticipated Global Schools Challenge, taking place this December in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
