Two PRO referees selected for 2018 FIFA World Cup

FIFA have selected 36 referees and support referees that will be heading out to Russia next summer for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with two officials from the PRO roster making the list.

Mark Geiger, who recently refereed the World Cup Qualifying Playoff between New Zealand and Peru, has been named, as has colleague Jair Marrufo. Marrufo was fourth official in that goalless first leg in Wellington.

Geiger has been on the FIFA list since 2008 and refereed three matches at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, taking charge of two group stage match-ups and the Round of 16 game between France and Nigeria.

Marrufo has yet to officiate at a World Cup, but the 2008 MLS Referee of the Year has been a FIFA-listed official since 2007, and was on Copa America duty last year.

It is the first time that two PRO referees have been selected for the tournament by FIFA, and the pair will join the other 34 officials at a World Cup seminar in Abu Dhabi between November 25 and November 29.

Full list:

AFC

Fahad Al Mirdasi (Saudi Arabia)
Alireza Faghani (Iran)
Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
Abdulla Mohamed (UAE)
Ryuji Sato (Japan)
Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain)

CAF

Mehdi Abid Charef (Algeria)
Malang Diedhiou (Senegal)
Bakary Gassama (Gambia)
Ghead Grisha (Egypt)
Janny Sikazwe (Zambia)
Bamlak Tessema (Ethiopia)

CONCACAF

Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)
Mark Geiger (USA)
Jair Marrufo (USA)
Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica)
John Pitti (Panama)
Cesar Ramos (Mexico)

CONMEBOL

Julio Bascunan (Chile)
Enrique Caceres (Paraguay)
Andres Cunha (Uruguay)
Nestor Pitana (Argentina)
Sandro Ricci (Brazil)
Wilmar Roldan (Colomnia)

OFC

Matthew Conger (New Zealand)
Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)

UEFA

Felix Brych (Germany)
Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey)
Sergei Karasev (Russia)
Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands)
Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain)
Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Gianluca Rocchi (Italy)
Damir Skomina (Slovenia)
Clement Turpin (France)