Second major shock to the football world amid the FIFA World Cup, VAR referee Rob Deeprink dies at the age of 38, was already removed from the tournament

New Delhi . The football world has received another sad news during the FIFA World Cup 2026. After the death of South Africa’s young midfielder Jayden Adams, now Netherlands’ experienced referee Rob Dieperink has passed away at the age of 38. These continuous incidents have made the atmosphere of the World Cup sad. Dieprink was assigned the role of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the tournament, but was removed from the official list before the start of the competition.

Rob Dieprink has made his mark as a respected referee in Dutch football for many years. Since 2017, he has been continuously officiating matches in the top football league of the Netherlands. Apart from this, he also served as VAR official in Euro 2024. Considering his experience and performance, he was also included in the VAR panel for the FIFA World Cup 2026, but later the circumstances changed.

Before the World Cup, Dierink was accused of sexual assault of a minor. After the allegations came to light, the investigating agencies registered the case and started investigation and during this time he was removed from the VAR panel of the World Cup. However, the case was later closed due to lack of sufficient evidence in the investigation. Dieprink had declared himself innocent from the beginning and said that he had fully cooperated with the investigating agencies and had also provided all the information to the concerned football organizations on time.

According to reports, being out of the World Cup despite being cleared of charges was a big blow for him. Even after this, he publicly talked about maintaining faith in his professional responsibilities and the judicial process. People close to him believed that he was hoping to return to the international level in the future.

Dieprink’s death was confirmed by the Netherlands Football Association in an official statement. Describing him as a dedicated, honest and respected referee, the association said the football community has lost a colleague who strived to maintain the dignity of the game throughout his career. Players, officials and many people associated with football have expressed grief over his death.

FIFA, the supreme body of world football, has also expressed deep sorrow over Deeprink’s death. The organization expressed its condolences to his family, friends and the Dutch Football Association, saying it was an irreparable loss for the entire football community. At present, the reasons for his death have not been officially disclosed and no detailed information in this regard has been made public.

The demise of first Jaden Adams and now Rob Deeprink during the World Cup has given two consecutive big shocks to the football world. On one hand, exciting matches are going on on the field, while on the other hand, these tragic incidents have put the sports community in deep mourning. The football world now remembers Dieprink as an experienced referee and dedicated sports official whose contributions will long be remembered.