Greek referee Kyros Vassaras and Spain's Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez have been ruled out of the World Cup because their linesmen failed fitness tests, FIFA announced on Monday.
Soccer's world governing body has decided to have referees and linesmen to work as teams of three for the World Cup. Rather than break them up if one of them gets injured, they are replaced by a new trio.
Vassaras and his Spanish counterpart Mejuto Gonzalez were due to take part in the World Cup finals, FIFA said.
But, as their linesemen failed to reach the required standards at a training session in Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt, they were removed from the list.
They have been replaced by two members of the backup group of officials, Italy's Roberto Rosetti and Spain's Luis Medina Cantalejo.
The 23 referees selected by FIFA are from 21 different countries. Italy and Mexico have two each.
Guatemala's Carlos Batres was dropped from the provisional list because he failed to recover from a cruciate ligament injury and has been replaced by Mexico's Marco Rodriguez.
Belgium's Frank De Bleeckere, who failed a fitness test in March, has passed them and will be at the World Cup.
FIFA won't announce the referee teams for the 64 games until 48 hours before kickoff of each match.
New Turf
All 12 stadiums to be used during the World Cup are getting new turf.
Dortmund, Berlin and Kaiserslautern started getting their new fields on Monday, since they have played their last home games in the Bundesliga.
Seven of the stadiums will have grass grown in the Netherlands, the other five will use turf grown in Germany.
A 24-page handbook gives instructions on turf -- from the mowing of the grass in the required pattern, to the watering and fertilizing and making sure the grass is 28mm tall.
Jersey colors
FIFA has assigned jersey colors that will be used in the 48 group matches of the World Cup.
Host Germany will wear its traditional white shirts and black shorts with white socks when it kicks off the tournament on June 9 in Munich against Costa Rica.
Costa Rica will wear red jerseys, blue shorts and red socks.
Brazil, the defending champion, will be wearing yellow jerseys, blue shorts and blue socks in its opener against Croatia.
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