Dutch football officiating has been thrown into mourning following the death of FIFA referee Rob Dieperink at the age of 38.
Dieperink, who had risen through the ranks to become one of the Netherlands’ recognised international match officials, passed away weeks after he was withdrawn from the list of referees selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The cause of his death had not been officially disclosed at the time of reporting.
The Dutch official had earned international recognition through his involvement in European competitions and was placed on FIFA’s international referee list, leading to his selection as part of the officiating team for this year’s World Cup tournament scheduled to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
However, FIFA removed him from the final list of officials following an incident in April 2026, when he was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in London over allegations of sexual assault involving an underage boy.
The case was later discontinued, but the development had already resulted in his withdrawal from World Cup duties.
Dieperink’s death brings an abrupt end to the career of an official regarded as one of the emerging figures in Dutch refereeing. His contributions at domestic and European levels had earned him increasing prominence before the events that led to his removal from FIFA’s World Cup preparations.
