Michael Oliver was due to take charge of Ecuador vs Ivory Coast but has been ruled out after FIFA confirmed the Premier League referee suffered a minor injury
22:25, 12 Jun 2026Updated 22:30, 12 Jun 2026
Premier League referee Michael Oliver has been replaced for his opening 2026 World Cup match
Premier League referee Michael Oliver has been replaced for his opening 2026 World Cup match(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Premier League official Michael Oliver has withdrawn from his opening fixture at the World Cup following an injury setback.
Oliver had been appointed to take charge of the Group E encounter between Ecuador and the Ivory Coast in Philadelphia in the early hours of Monday morning. However, a FIFA statement has confirmed Oliver has been stood down from the match.
A FIFA statement read: "Appointment change: Due to a minor injury, referee Michael Oliver (ENG) has been replaced by Francois Letexier (FRA). Oliver is expected to be available for selection again in the coming days."
His absence means fellow UK officials Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, who had been assigned as his assistants, will also sit out the Philadelphia fixture. FIFA have confirmed that Cyril Mugnier and Mehdi Rahmouni will step in alongside the seasoned Letexier.
Oliver, who has officiated at the highest level across the Champions League, World Cup 2022 and Euro 2024, spoke two years ago about the thrill of taking charge at major tournaments. Ahead of the Euros, he remarked: "The eyes of the world are on this tournament.
"You get a sense when you arrive at the stadium that the atmosphere is different. The pressure, the competition, and the quality of matches are all higher.
"You're aware of that pressure, but you just try to prepare the best you can and make sure you're ready for it. There's a perception that we turn up five minutes before kick-off, leave straight after, and don't think about football for a week.
"But we put so much training and work into it, to be the best, to limit mistakes. Nobody needs to tell me after a game how well I've done – or not. I know that more than anybody."
An official is standing between two soccer players on the field, likely addressing an incident during the match. The player on the right is wearing a blue jersey with the number 10, while the official is dressed in a light blue shirt and dark pants. In the background, the audience is seated in the stands.
(Image: Getty Images)
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Oliver has held international referee status since 2012, and has been a member of UEFA's Elite Group since 2018. The official is anticipated to return for the forthcoming round of group fixtures.
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