Rob Dieperink, a Dutch international football referee, dies aged 38, the Dutch football association (KNVB) says. He was removed from consideration for the 2026 World Cup in North America after an arrest in the UK earlier in the year. According to reports, Dieperink was arrested on 9 April in his London hotel room shortly after working as a video assistant referee (VAR) for Crystal Palace’s UEFA Conference League match against Fiorentina. He was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault involving a teenage boy. After an investigation, police did not charge him, and the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Dieperink had been on FIFA’s list of VAR officials for the summer tournament but had been stood down about a month before it began. In interviews after the incident, he said he was wrongly accused, cooperated with the investigation, and that allegations were refuted. KNVB says the cause of death has not been disclosed. It also notes he remained an experienced referee, including VAR work at Euro 2024 and officiating high-profile matches at club level.
