Slovenian referee, Slavko Vinčić, is set to oversee the biggest match in world football after FIFA named him as the referee for Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
The historic appointment makes the 46-year-old the first official from Slovenia to take charge of a World Cup final and only the 23rd referee ever selected to officiate the tournament’s showpiece event.
Here are some key facts about the experienced match official:
Historic appointment for Slovenia
Vinčić was informed of his selection by FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, during an emotional meeting recorded by FIFA.
The Maribor-born referee admitted the announcement left him overwhelmed as he reflected on achieving a dream he had pursued throughout his career.
“First of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking. It’s an incredible honour to get the World Cup final.
“It’s only a dream for a referee when they start their career. I’m very proud of myself and my team.
“It’s very difficult to put everything into words, but I’m very proud to represent my country, Slovenia, at the biggest sporting event in the world. My team is very proud, and we will do our best.”
Building on previous World Cup experience
The 2026 tournament marks Vinčić’s second appearance at a FIFA World Cup after making his debut in Qatar in 2022, where he officiated two group-stage fixtures.
During this year’s competition, he has handled:
Brazil vs Morocco (Group C)
Algeria vs Jordan (Group J)
Mexico vs Ecuador (Round of 32)
His consistent displays throughout the tournament ultimately earned him the honour of refereeing the final.
Proven on Europe’s biggest stages
While Sunday will be his first World Cup final, Vinčić has already established himself as one of Europe’s top referees.
He officiated the 2024 UEFA Champions League final at Wembley, where Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0, having previously taken charge of the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers.
His Champions League final appointment also saw him become only the second Slovenian referee, after Damir Skomina, to officiate Europe’s premier club competition final.
Success built on teamwork
Vinčić credited his officiating colleagues for playing a crucial role in his journey to the World Cup final.
“Refereeing is all about teamwork. Without them, without Tomaž and Andraž, this is not possible.
“I’m really happy that I’ve had them throughout my career. We are really good friends, a good team, and thanks to them.”
His assistant referees for the final will be Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič. Jordan’s Adham Makhadmeh has been appointed fourth official, while Mohammad Al-Kalaf will serve as reserve assistant referee.
FIFA explains the selection
Collina revealed that the decision followed an extensive evaluation process, with referees’ performances during the tournament carrying the greatest significance.
“It’s a long process. There are many pieces of the puzzle that have to be combined.
“The performances are what matter the most. Of course, the matches they refereed before, and also the fact that his team is not playing in this competition, but mainly performances. At the end of the day, that’s what really matters.”
Collina also described informing referees of their World Cup final appointments as one of the most memorable moments of every tournament.
“It’s emotional for the referees, but it is very emotional also for me. This is the third time I’ve done it at a FIFA World Cup, and I still get goosebumps.”
Final preparations
Despite the magnitude of Sunday’s encounter, Vinčić insisted his routine ahead of the match will remain the same.
“Preparation will not change much. We will analyse the teams again, even though we’ve been following them for more than 40 days.
“We’ll stay focused, try to be mentally fresh and physically fresh, and we’ll do our best so that we will not be a topic after the match.”
