“We were sure from the beginning that he is, and was, the right man,” FIFA Referees Coordinator Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda said replying to a question about the Uzbek official’s performance in the opening match between South Africa and Mexico at a referees training workshop on the outskirts of Pretoria.

The 32-year-old took charge of England’s second group game against Algeria in Cape Town and has been given the responsibility of officiating in his third match between Greece and Argentina in Polokwane on 22 June, the-afc.com reported.

Apart from Irmatov, three more Asian referees – Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia), Yuichi Nishimura (Japan) and Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (Malaysia) are giving their services in the FIFA World Cup.