Selected editorial offices and experts from all the football continents took part in the 2012 annual election for the World’s best Referee, the 26th time it has been carried out by the IFFHS. The "Top 15" come from Europe (12 referees), South America (2) and Asia (1). These 15 world’s best referees of the year 2012 comprise 13 different nationalities, with only Germany and England represented twice; and among these, only the two Germans rank in the "Top 10". Out of the world ranking for 2011, 13 referees are no longer included, partly from reasons of age. But six referees appear in the annual world ranking for the first time. With the exception of the 43-year-old Frenchman Stephane Lannoy all the other five are under 40 years of age. The youngest of these, the Colombian Wilmar Roldan, is only 32-years-old. The two World‘s best Referees from the immediately precedent years, the Englishman Howard Webb and the Hungarian Viktor Kassai are in 3rd and 4th place, ahead of the 43-year-old German Wolfgang Stark. The 36-year-old Turk Cuneyt Cakir has catapulted from 21st place (2011) to become the world‘s second-best referee in 2012. He is a FIFA referee since 2006 and had already taken charge of matches in the Super Lig as a 25-year-old. He studied business management and has stood out, above all in difficult top matches. The 42-year-old Portuguese Pedro Proenca was voted The World‘s best Referee 2012 with a lead of almost a hundred points He has officiated in the Portuguese elite league since 1998 and as an international referee since 2004. After officiating in national finals in the FA- and league cup in the preceding years, the financial advisor Pedro Proenca refereed the 2012 finals of the UEFA Champions League and European Championship in convincing style.
IFFHS World's Best Referee 2012
2. Cuneyt Cakir (TUR) 73
3. Howard Webb (ENG) 72
4. Viktor Kassai (HUN) 50
5. Wolfgang Stark (GER) 40
6. Ravshan Irmatov (UZB) 35
7. Damir Skomina (SVN) 26
8. Wilmar Roldan (COL) 20
9. Felix Brych (GER) 15
10. Stephane Lannoy (FRA) 13
11. Nicola Rizzoli (ITA) 13
12. Milorad Mazic (SRB) 11
13. Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP) 8
14. Mark Clattenburg (ENG) 6
15. Carlos Vera (ECU) 5