A shortlist of 44 referees were evaluated for their performances in FIFA competitions, continental championships and national leagues over the past 18 months.

The referees’ performances at two FIFA workshops in February and March, were also taken into account, including comprehensive medical checks, a fitness test, a psychological evaluation, and interviews with members of the FIFA Referees Committee.

Germany 2006 will be the first World Cup to feature only refereeing trios from the same country, or at least from the same confederation. The assistant referees assigned to the referees will be selected after the workshop for assistant referees in Frankfurt from 18 to 21 April.

There will be three assistants for each referee at this workshop and at least two members of these trios will have to complete a series of tests successfully.

If they fail to do so, the entire trio – together with their nominated referee – will be excluded from the list of World Cup officials and replaced by another group. England's representatives are Mike Tingey, Glen Turner and Phil Sharp, who ran the line at the 2002 World Cup Final in Yokohama.