The 7 August meeting of FA Cup winners Arsenal and Premier League champions Chelsea sees a third return to the Millennium Stadium for Webb who says he is delighted to have been chosen for the biggest game of his career so far.

“When I got the phone call I was honoured to be considered worthy,” he told TheFA.com.

“It’s big appointment for any referee, the opening showpiece to the season, and while it may not have the intensity of a Premier League game, the two teams will both want to do well.

“I was fourth official for the Community Shield last year when Arsenal beat Manchester United and the year before that I refereed the Division Two play-off final between Cardiff City and QPR.

“It’s a nice venue and I’m glad I’ve got another opportunity to go down there and in terms of prestige, this is probably my biggest appointment.”

Next weekend’s curtain-raiser in Cardiff comes almost two months into Webb’s season. After ending last term with Chelsea v Newcastle on 15 May, the 34-year-old from Rotherham was soon preparing for the new campaign.

“I was at the Toulon Tournament for the first two weeks in June, so with that in mind I kept things ticking over after my last game of the season,” said Webb, who became a Select Group of referees in 2003.

“I did manage a couple of weeks off, but we soon began our preparatory work for the new season. The programme lasts about ten weeks, but it has been a little disjointed for me with my involvement in games.”

Since Toulon, Webb has been in Thailand to referee two matches in the Premier League Cup and has also taken charge of an Intertoto Cup tie in Turkey.

The recently appointed FIFA official is also taking his next steps up the refereeing ladder with his Champions League debut before he can begin preparations for The Shield match and hopes more international recognition comes soon.

“I’ve got a Champions League qualifier next Wednesday in Finland; FC Haka v Vålerenga, then in September a Under-21 game in Spain.

“The movement within the FIFA ranks is what you have to look at. I’m now on the Third group, so I’m hoping to work my way up to the Elite group,” he added.

“But if I can continue to establish myself as a solid Premiership referee I’ll be delighted. That’s the bread and butter stuff that you need to always maintain.”

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