will that be announced just few days before the final or earlier? i need to answer that question in a prediction competition. i would bet on marcus merk or lubos michel, but you cant be sure.
It should be announced 2 days before like the rest. Those are safe bets, but good odds in terms of payout. FIFA probably wouldn't put the home ref on it and Michel will have to have a good showing early and probably isn't the guy they want as of now.
I think the ref that will be officiating the final will be Lubos Michel (Slovakia) too based on the fact that he was rated 3rd in the 'World's best Referee 2005' just behind Markus Merk. and also due to the fact it’s most likely to be a European Referee not from the host country: Of the 27 World Cups since 1930, there have been; 3 Brits, (1950, 54, 74), 2 French, (1938, 58), 2 Italians, (1978, 2002) and 2 Brazilians, (1982, 1986), officiating more than once, with 8 other nations also holding the honour, Belgium, (1930), Sweden, (1934), Russia, (1962), Switzerland, (1966), East Germany, (1970), Mexico, (1990), Hungary, (1994) and Morocco, (1998), none of which carried out the duty in their homeland.