African match officials to create international rugby league history

Two African match officials will be deployed to an official international competition for the first time this week as part of IRL’s drive to improve global technical standards and provide opportunities for promising officials.

Ghana’s Marshall Nortey and Brian Odiwuory of Kenya will be on duty at European Championship C in Italy, which is part of European Rugby League’s competition framework. Both officials are close to achieving the IRL Level 1 Match Official Educator accreditation, which would allow them to teach and accredit L1MOs at home.

Odiwuory said: “I see this not just as an individual honour but as a collective victory for all those working tirelessly to grow the game in our country. My hope is that this inspires more officials to keep learning, stay disciplined, and seize the opportunities ahead. This is just the beginning together, we can take Kenyan match officiating to even greater heights.”

Promising French match official Enzo Peyre will referee all three games between the hosts, Ukraine and Greece, with the two Africans and local officials sharing the other officiating responsibilities. As the competition is taking place in Udine over nine consecutive days it provides a good opportunity for Peyre to work with the two visiting officials to strengthen their knowledge and experience. 

“This IRL invitation is a strategic step toward developing local officiating talent and expanding match official squads across the region,” said Nortey. “I’m proud to carry this torch forward and committed to ensuring it lights the path for many more.”

Both officials participated in IRL’s educational programme in their countries in January and are their respective national federation leads. In a further sign of support, Wales Rugby League’s head match official, James Jones, is being deployed by IRL to Accra in November, to support local development and referee the men’s Senior International Match between Ghana and Nigeria on 23 November.

IRL Membership and Competitions Manager Remond Safi said, “IRL is really pleased to announce the selection of Brian and Marshall to officiate at the European Championship. This milestone is not only a personal achievement but a powerful testament to the growing recognition of officiating talent from across Africa.

“This opportunity reflects both federation’s commitment to excellence and development, and it opens doors for future collaboration, capacity building, and global representation. It also sends a strong message that African officials are striving to contribute at the highest levels of international competition. I believe this will inspire a new generation of referees and strengthen the foundation of officiating across the continent.”

IRL will also support match official education in the Philippines in November as it continues its preparation to roll out a comprehensive and sustained programme of in-country education.