Premier League referee Michael Oliver has been forced to withdraw from his first scheduled match at the World Cup due to an injury setback. The English official was originally appointed to take charge of the Group E encounter between Ecuador and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, scheduled for the early hours of Monday morning. However, FIFA has confirmed that Oliver has been replaced for the fixture.
French referee Francois Letexier will now take charge of the match instead. A FIFA statement read: 'Appointment change: Due to a minor injury, referee Michael Oliver (ENG) has been replaced by Francois Letexier (FRA).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.'
Oliver's withdrawal also affects his assistant referees, Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, who were set to run the line. FIFA has confirmed that Cyril Mugnier and Mehdi Rahmouni have been drafted in alongside Letexier. Khalid Alturais and Mohammed Alabakrv of Saudi Arabia will remain as the fourth official and reserve assistant.
Oliver, who has officiated at the highest level in the Champions League, the 2022 World Cup, and Euro 2024, previously spoke about the thrill of taking charge at major tournaments. Ahead of Euro 2024, he said: '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.'
Oliver has been an international referee since 2012 and has been part of UEFA's Elite Group since 2018. The experienced official is expected to return for the next round of group matches.
