Michael Oliver Suffers Injury Ruling Him Out of 2026 World Cup Opener Between Ivory Coast and Ecuador

English referee Michael Oliver will miss his first 2026 World Cup assignment due to injury

Referee injury update English match official Michael Oliver has been declared unfit to take charge of his opening 2026 World Cup fixture. The 41-year-old was scheduled to referee the Group E clash between Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Philadelphia on Sunday at 00:00 BST on Monday. He has since been replaced by France’s Francois Letexier. FIFA confirmed Oliver is likely to return to duty within a short period. ## World Cup officiating team Michael Oliver is one of six English referees selected for on-field duties at the 2026 World Cup. Anthony Taylor is the other English referee among the tournament’s 52 officials. The English contingent also includes assistant referees Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn, Stuart Burt, and James Mainwaring. Oliver previously took charge of three matches at the 2022 World Cup, including the quarter-final between Croatia and Brazil, and also officiated at Euro 2024. ## Tournament details A total of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials will oversee matches across the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The competition’s opening Group E match between Ivory Coast and Ecuador will now be handled by Francois Letexier instead of Michael Oliver.