Injured referee Oliver to miss World Cup match

Michael Oliver refereed three matches at the 2022 World Cup [Getty Images] English referee Michael Oliver has been ruled out of his first match at the 2026 World Cup because of injury. The 41-year-old, who was due to officiate the Group E meeting between Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Philadelphia on Sunday (00:00 BST, Monday), has been replaced by Frenchman Francois Letexier. Fifa said Oliver is expected to be available for selection "in the coming days". Oliver is one of six English on-field officials at the World Cup, with Anthony Taylor also among the 52 referees. Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn, Stuart Burt, and James Mainwaring were selected as assistant referees. Oliver has stood in the Premier League since 2010 and was promoted to Uefa's elite list of referees in 2018. He officiated at the 2022 World Cup, including the quarter-final between Croatia and Brazil, and Euro 2024. There are 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials involved in the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico. Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor game World Cup fixtures and group standings How to watch the World Cup on the BBC Everything you need to know about the World Cup