The FIFA Referees Committee selected the 25, plus 50 assistants and eight "support duos", during a meeting in Zurich under the chairmanship of vice-president Jim Boyce.

The referees include Briton Howard Webb, who officiated the at times hot-blooded Spain versus Netherlands World Cup final in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2010.

Each referee has been included in a trio, with their two linesmen.

Five of the referees selected are from South America, four are from Asia, three each are from Africa and North, Central America and the Caribbean, and one is from Oceania.

The Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro will host a number of matches at this summer's World Cup in Brazil, including the final ©AFP/Getty Images





Felix Brych from Germany, Carlos Velasco Carballo from Spain, Mark Geiger from the United States and Yuichi Nishimura from Japan are among them.

In total, 43 nations are represented by the 91 officials selected.

FIFA says it has implemented a "comprehensive programme" to make sure its referees are in "peak condition" once the tournament - which is due to run from June 12 to July 13 - kicks-off.

FIFA's President Joseph Blatter greets referees before a 2013 FIFA Club World Cup football match FIFA's President Joseph Blatter (right) salutes referees before a 2013 FIFA Club World Cup football match ©AFP/Getty Images



It added: "Just as it did for the 32 participating teams, the road to the 2014 FIFA World Cup began for an initial group of 52 trios of referees from all over the world in September 2011 when FIFA took the important decision to create a refereeing project.

"One of the key objectives was match control and consequently to prepare this group of prospective referees for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

"The referees selected for the World Cup in Brazil have been chosen based especially on their personality and their quality in football understanding by being able to read the game and the teams' tactical approaches towards each game.

"Between now and the World Cup, the selected group of match officials will participate in three seminars: February, March/April, and the last one 10 days before the kick-off of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™.

"The selected referees and assistant referees will be followed and monitored regularly during this period, and FIFA is ready to give them all the support they need so that they can prepare for this important World Cup in the best possible manner."