Dutch football association

FIFA World Cup: Dutch football referee Rob Dieperink has died weeks after he was removed from officiating at the World Cup following a police case in Britain that was later dropped.

Dieperink was selected to be a VAR official at the FIFA World Cup 2026 but was removed from FIFA’s list of World Cup officials in May.

His cause of death has not been disclosed. The Netherlands’ football association said they were “shocked and deeply saddened” by Dieperink’s death.