Michael Oliver has been ruled out of his first match at the 2026 World Cup because of injury. The 41-year-old English referee was scheduled to officiate the Group E meeting between Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Philadelphia on Sunday (00:00 BST, Monday), but has been replaced by Frenchman François Letexier.
Oliver is one of six English on-field officials at the World Cup. He has stood in the Premier League since 2010 and was promoted to UEFA's elite referee list in 2018. He previously officiated at the 2022 World Cup, including the quarter-final between Croatia and Brazil, and at Euro 2024.
FIFA said Oliver is expected to be available for selection in the coming days. The 2026 World Cup features 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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