Who is Slavko Vincic? Meet the referee for the 2026 World Cup final

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Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic will take charge of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, becoming the first official from his country to referee the tournament’s showpiece match.

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The appointment also places the 46-year-old among an exclusive group, as he becomes only the 23rd referee in history to oversee a FIFA World Cup final.

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Vincic was informed of the decision by FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, in an emotional moment captured in a video shared by FIFA.

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Speaking after receiving the news, the Maribor-born referee admitted he was overwhelmed.

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“First of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking. It’s an incredible honour to get the World Cup final,” Vincic said.

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“It’s only a dream for a referee when they start their career. I’m very proud of myself and my team.”

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“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.”

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Who is Slavko Vincic?

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The 46-year-old is officiating at his second FIFA World Cup, having handled two group-stage matches at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

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At the 2026 World Cup, Vincic has overseen Brazil’s Group C draw with Morocco, Algeria’s Group J victory over Jordan, and Mexico’s Round of 32 win over Ecuador, earning the nod for the tournament’s biggest game.

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The Spain-Argentina final will not be his first major title decider. In 2024, UEFA appointed him to referee the Champions League final at Wembley, where Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0. The Maribor-born official became only the second Slovenian to officiate a Champions League final after Damir Skomina in 2019.

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Vincic also took charge of the 2022 UEFA Europa League final, in which Eintracht Frankfurt beat Rangers on penalties to lift the trophy.

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‘Refereeing is all about teamwork’

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Despite the individual recognition, Vincic insisted the achievement belongs to his entire officiating crew, especially assistant referees Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič.

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“Refereeing is all about teamwork. Without them, without Tomaž and Andraž, this is not possible,” he said.

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“I’m really happy that I’ve had them throughout my career. We are really good friends, a good team, and thanks to them.”

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Jordan’s Adham Makhadmeh will serve as fourth official for the final, while compatriot Mohammad Al-Kalaf has been appointed reserve assistant referee.

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Why FIFA chose Vinčić

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Collina said the decision followed weeks of evaluation throughout the tournament, stressing that performances on the pitch were the decisive factor.

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“It’s a long process. There are many pieces of the puzzle that have to be combined,” Collina said.

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“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.”

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Collina also described informing referees of their appointments as one of the most emotional moments of every World Cup.

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“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.”

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Preparing for the biggest game

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Vincic said he will approach Sunday’s final the same way he has prepared for every match during the tournament.

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“Preparation will not change much. We will analyse the teams again, even though we’ve been following them for more than 40 days,” he said.

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“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.”

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