Dutch football referee Rob Dieperink has reportedly been removed from FIFA’s list of officials for the upcoming 2026 World Cup after he was arrested in the United Kingdom over allegations of sexual assault involving a teenage boy.
The incident reportedly happened after Crystal Palace’s UEFA Conference League clash against Fiorentina on April 9, where Dieperink worked as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR). He was later taken into custody at his hotel while police carried out an investigation into the allegations.
However, reports later confirmed that the case was dropped after authorities found insufficient evidence to press charges against the Dutch official.
Despite being cleared, Dieperink will no longer officiate at the World Cup tournament scheduled to begin on June 11.
Speaking to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the 38-year-old said he was deeply hurt by the accusations and maintained that he fully cooperated with investigators throughout the process.
According to him, he was transparent with FIFA, UEFA, and the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) from the beginning, adding that the police concluded their investigation within two weeks and dismissed the allegations.
Dieperink also expressed disappointment over FIFA’s decision to leave him out of the World Cup officiating team despite the case being closed.
Meanwhile, the Dutch Football Association defended the referee, stating that every allegation must be taken seriously but stressing that people should not be judged unfairly before investigations are completed.
The KNVB added that Dieperink remained open and cooperative during the investigation and that there was currently no reason to stop him from handling matches in the Dutch league.