Soccer: NZer in ref panel for World Cup

Peter O'Leary officiates matches in the A-League. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand referee Peter O'Leary will officiate at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil this year.

It's his second World Cup after he officiated in South Africa four years ago where he was fourth official for six games.

Fellow New Zealander Michael Hester who took charge of the pool B match between South Korea and Greece in South Africa, and was fourth official in two other games, has retired and wasn't considered for a role in Brazil.

The World Cup runs from June 13 to July 14.

2014 World Cup referees:
Asia: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan), Yuichi Nishimura (Japan), Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain), Ben Williams (Australia)

Africa: Noumandiez Doue (Ivory Coast), Bakary Gassama (Gambia), Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)

CONCACAF: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador), Mark Geiger (United States), Marco Rodriguez Moreno (Mexico)

South America: Enrique Osses (Chile), Nestor Pitana (Argentina), Wilmar Roldan (Colombia), Sandro Ricci (Brazil), Carlos Vera Rodriguez (Ecuador)

Oceania: Peter O'Leary (New Zealand)

Europe: Felix Brych (Germany), Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey), Jonas Eriksson (Sweden), Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands), Milorad Mazic (Serbia), Pedro Proenca (Portugal), Nicola Rizzoli (Italy), Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain), Howard Webb (England).