Brazil`s Sandro Ricci named 2014 World Cup referee

Rio De Janeiro: Brazil`s Sandro Meira Ricci has been named one of 25 referees who will officiate at this year`s World Cup.

He will be joined by Brazilian assistants Emerson Augusto de Carvalho and Marcelo van Gasse, a leading agency reported Thursday citing FIFA`s statement. England`s Howard Webb, who was in charge of the 2010 final between Spain and the Netherlands, was also selected for football`s showpiece event in Brazil. The referees were chosen from 43 countries and regions, Europe being the highest represented continent with nine. The selected officials will participate in three seminars before the World Cup begins June 12. 2014 World Cup centre referees by region: AFC: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan), Yuichi Nishimura (Japan), Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain), Ben Williams (Australia). CAF: Noumandiez Doue (Cote d` Ivoire), Bakary Gassama (Gambia), Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria) and Daniel Bennet (South Africa). CONCACAF: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador), Mark Geiger (United States), Marco Rodriguez Moreno (Mexico). CONMEBOL: Enrique Osses (Chile), Nestor Pitana (Argentina), Wilmar Roldan (Colombia), Sandro Ricci (Brazil), Carlos Vera Rodriguez (Ecuador). Oceania: Peter O` Leary (New Zealand). UEFA: Felix Brych (Germany), Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey), Jonas Eriksson (Sweden), Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands), Milorad Mazic (Serbia), Pedro Proenca (Portugal), Nicola Rizzoli (Italy), Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain), Howard Webb (England).