The process began in 2007 and, in September, 53 referees attended an 'Elite Referee' seminar in Zurich. Assessments were made on technical, physical, mental and energy performances as well as medical and physio preparation.

Among the prominent figures were some famous names, including Carlos Amarilla from Paraguay, who refereed the 2007 Copa America final between Brazil and Argentina, Italy's Roberto Rosetti, who took charge of the European Championship final last June between Germany and Spain, and Codjia Koffi from Benin, who in February last year refereed the CAF Africa Cup of Nations final between Egypt and Cameroon.

Fifa reduced the 53 to 38 last October, a list that includes nine referees who made it to the final 21 for the 2006 finals.
A final decision on the World Cup 2010 referees will also be based on the results of further fitness training comprising various coordination, concentration and mobility exercises. The referees have also had to undergo a written test on the Laws as well as an oral English language test.

Howard Webb could represent England and will hope to do better than Graham Poll in 2006, after the Premier League referee inadvertently showed a yellow card to Croatia’s Josip Simunic three times.

The short-list for South Africa:

Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudir Arabia) Matthew Breeze (Australia) Ravhsan Irmatov (Uzbekistan) Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (Malaysia) Yuichi Nishimura (Japan) Mohamed Benouza (Algeria) Coffi Codjia* (Benin) Koman Coulibaly (Mali) Jerome Damon (South Africa) Eddy Maillet (Seychelles) Joel Aguilar (El Salvador) Benito Archundia* (Mexico) Carlos Batres (Guatemala) Jair Marrufo (USA) Marco Rodriguez (Mexico) Carlos Amarilla* (Paraguay) Hector Baldassi (Argentina) Jorge Larrionda* (Uruguay) Pablo Pozo (Chile) Oscar Ruiz* (Colombia) Carlos Simon* (Brazil) Michael Hester (New Zealand) Peter O’Leary (New Zealand) Ivan Bebek (Croatia) Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal) Massimo Busacca* (Switzerland) Frank De Bleeckere* (Belgium) Thomas Einwaller (Austria) Grzegorz Gilewski (Poland) Martin Hansson (Sweden) Viktor Kassai (Hungary) Stephane Lannoy (France) Tom Ovrebo (Norway) Roberto Rosetti* (Italy) Wolfgang Stark (Germany) Alberto Undianio (Spain) Howard Webb (England)

*Referees at the 2006 World Cup finals.