The FIFA World Cup 2026 final will be presided over by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, who has made a name for himself at the big stages of football. However, years before receiving the game’s highest honor, Vincic was unexpectedly caught by the police who briefly put him on the head for reasons unrelated to football.This happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2020, when Vincic was questioned by the police after the police raided a meeting related to drugs and prostitution. He was later released without charge, and authorities determined that he was not involved in the crime they were investigating. Since then, Vincic has continued to rise and is now preparing to oversee the finals of the World Cup.
How Slavko Vincic overcame a flawed police investigation to arrive FIFA World Cup 2026 final
In May 2020, Slavko Vincic encountered an unexpected situation while traveling to Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a business meeting. According to reports, he accepted an invitation to lunch at a private farm. During the meeting, the police conducted a major raid on what they suspected to be a drug and prostitution racket.During the operation, police say they also found four packs of cocaine, 10 guns, more than £8,000 in cash, and three bulletproof vests. Several people at the scene were arrested, including Tijana Maksimovic, who later pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting international prostitution.Vincic was also taken to the police station, but as a witness. After questioning him, investigators found that he had no connection with the gang. No charges were brought against him by a Slovenian judge, and he was soon released.Speaking later about the incident, Vincic explained that he had gone to Bosnia for work and had only accepted the invitation for lunch. He said he had no knowledge of the people involved in the investigation and described the entire incident as a tragic mistake. He said that he and his business partners are fully cooperating with the authorities, who quickly realized that they were not involved in the crime.The incident did not affect Vincic’s career. Instead, he continued to gain important positions around the world. He took charge of two matches at UEFA Euro 2020 before taking charge of the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt.His rise continued when UEFA appointed him to referee the 2024 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium. This appointment further cemented his reputation as one of Europe’s most trusted match referees.At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vincic has already played three matches, including Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco, Algeria’s 2-1 win over Jordan, and Mexico’s 2-0 win over Ecuador, where he showed a red card to Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie.Now, the experienced Slovenian referee is expected to take charge of the biggest game in the world Lionel MessiArgentina will face Spain’s Lamine Yamal in the World Cup final.
