Dutch football referee Rob Dieperink has died at the age of 38, just weeks after he was removed from FIFA’s list of officials for the 2026 World Cup. His death was confirmed on Monday by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), which said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the loss. Dutch police are investigating the cause of death.
Dieperink had been selected to serve as a video assistant referee (VAR) at this summer’s World Cup, but FIFA dropped him from the roster in May. The decision came after his arrest by the Metropolitan Police in London in April, following a report of sexual assault against a teenage boy. The incident was alleged to have occurred after a UEFA Conference League match between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina, which Dieperink had officiated. He was also accused of trying to entice the boy to his hotel room.
The Metropolitan Police later confirmed the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence, stating that “the evidential threshold had not been met”. Dieperink, who had refereed in the Eredivisie since 2017, spoke out at the time, saying he was “very sad to have been wrongly accused.” He expressed his disappointment at missing the World Cup, adding that FIFA’s decision was “a pity”. The Dutch FA had supported him throughout the investigation.
His death comes just days after controversy surrounding his replacement. French referee Willy Delajod, who took Dieperink’s place, was criticized by the Egyptian Football Association for his VAR performance during Argentina’s victory over Egypt in the Round of 16. Tributes have poured in for Dieperink, who was also a VAR official at Euro 2024. The KNVB stated that “the refereeing community loses a highly valued referee with international experience, but above all, a fine and dedicated colleague”.
