While the All Whites won't be at this year's World Cup, two New Zealanders will be.
Matt Conger and Simon Lount will be the two officials representing us in Russia, with Conger selected as one of 35 referees.
On Thursday, Conger was giving out instructions to his students and in two weeks, he could be giving them to some of the best footballers in the world.
"I think one thing that's so enjoyable about the process is we've worked really hard to get here," Conger told Newshub.
"It's been a whirlwind few years for the reigning New Zealand referee of the year, he's officiated at the Rio Olympic Games, youth and club world cups."
And his role continues to evolve with the Video Assistant Referee to be used for the first time at the tournament.
"What I like about the philosophy that FIFA have used and continue to stick with is the referee. It's still our obligation and still our responsibility to make the decision."
The last Kiwi to referee at the World cup - Peter O'Leary - came under fire after he incorrectly disallowed a goal for Bosnia Herzegovina in their defeat to Nigeria, and Conger's confident the VAR's introduction will help avoid such incidents.
"Referees are only human and there will be times where we make a mistake, so having VAR there will certainly allow that those mistakes to be corrected."
Conger was forced to give up his full-time teaching job in order to reach Russia, but spending time away from his family was the biggest sacrifice of them all.
"From the middle of January to the 31st of April I was home for 17 days."
And he'll be hoping it will be all worth it when he departs for Moscow on Saturday.
Newshub.