Overview
- The Royal Dutch Football Association confirmed Dieperink's death on Monday, July 13, 2026, and said the refereeing community is 'shocked and deeply saddened'.
- Dutch police are conducting an investigation after a deceased person was found near the street where Dieperink lived, and authorities have not yet disclosed a cause of death.
- Dieperink was arrested in London on 9 April 2026 on suspicion of sexual assault involving a teenage boy, but the Metropolitan Police later said the evidential threshold was not met and no further action would be taken.
- Following the April arrest, FIFA removed Dieperink from its list of match officials for the 2026 World Cup; the KNVB had publicly supported him and he denied the allegations.
- Dieperink had been an Eredivisie referee since 2017 and served as a VAR at Euro 2024, and his sudden death may prompt closer scrutiny of how football bodies handle allegation-related removals and support for officials.