The 32-year-old Uzbek was selected as a referee for the South Africa edition alongwith Rafael Ilyasov (Uzbekistan) and Bahadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan).

He is the first referee from Uzbekistan to be selected for the World Cup.

“I am very delighted that FIFA chose our trio, including Rafael Ilyasov (Uzbekistan) and Bahadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan),” Irmatov told www.the-afc.com on the phone from Tashkent.

“Refereeing is team work and I am pleased with the performances of my assistants though one of us (Uzbek Abdukhamidullo Rasulov) couldn’t make it to the final list”

“I would like to thank my colleagues and teachers because it’s rare to get a World Cup appointment,” said the Uzbek who has been an international referee since 2003.

Irmatov said he would prepare hard for the challenge ahead.

“I know I have to work harder to be sharp for the World Cup.

“I’m traveling to Zurich in March for a medical check-up followed by a FIFA camp in Las Palmas, Spain. Then it will be a short seminar in May and my flight to South Africa is in the beginning of June,” said Irmatov.