Image credit: Getty Images. By Elizabeth Botcherby. Un journaliste sportif de la BBC. Le 13 juin 2026. Michael Oliver, the English referee, has been withdrawn from his opening 2026 World Cup fixture due to injury. The 41-year-old was scheduled to take charge of the Group E clash between Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Philadelphia on Sunday (18:00 BST Monday) but has been replaced by Frenchman François Letexier. Fifa said Oliver is expected to be fit for selection again “in the coming days”.
Oliver is one of six English on-field officials at the tournament, alongside fellow referee Anthony Taylor. Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn, Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring were chosen as assistant referees.
The 41-year-old has officiated in the Premier League since 2010 and joined Uefa’s elite referee panel in 2018. He previously took charge of matches at the 2022 World Cup, including Croatia’s quarter-final against Brazil, and at Euro 2024.
In total, the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico features 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials. 2026 FIFA World Cup. Additional details on this story. Try out BBC Sport’s latest World Cup prediction game.
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