FIFA has given Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić the biggest role in his career, confirming that he will officiate the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between defenders Argentina and Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium.The 46-year-old has spent almost two decades rising through the refereeing ranks in Europe and now he is the man responsible for one of the most anticipated World Cup matches in recent history. He will be assisted by Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič of Slovenia, while Adham Makhadmeh of Jordan has been appointed as the fourth and Mohammad Alkalaf as assistant referee.For Vinčić, the appointment represents the culmination of a career that has been steadily rising through domestic, European and international football.
From Slovenia to the biggest stage of football
Born in Maribor, Slovenia, in 1979, Vinčić made his debut in his country’s senior team in 2007 before receiving his FIFA international badge in 2010.His performances quickly established him among UEFA’s top officials, leading to regular selection in the Champions League and Europa League.Over the past decade, he has attended major European football matches, including the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers and the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.Along with his club duties, Vinčić has been a regular at international tournaments, overseeing UEFA Euro 2020, Euro 2024, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2026 World Cup, where his performances earned him a star position.According to that TransfermarktVinčić has officiated over 500 matches, issuing 2,093 yellow cards, 113 red cards and 117 penalties in his youth career.
The World Cup tour has reached its peak
Sunday’s final will be Vinčić’s eighth game in the last two tournaments.He made his first appearance at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 before making four appearances at the 2026 tournament, which led to FIFA’s decision to place him in the final between Spain and Argentina.At the beginning of this World Cup, Vinčić led Brazil’s group against Morocco, Algeria’s victory over Jordan and Mexico’s victory in the Round of 32 against Ecuador.
Referee Slavko Vincic, of Slovenia, speaks with Piero Hincapie (3) of Ecuador during the 32nd World Cup soccer match between Mexico and Ecuador in Mexico City, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
The knock-on game attracted attention after Vinčić sent off Ecuador’s full-back Piero Hincapié following a VAR review for closing his mouth when talking to Mexican player Santiago Giménez, showing the first red card in his major international competition after overseeing ten World Cup and European Championship games without sending off a player.
His background is Argentina
Despite Argentina’s frequent appearances at major tournaments, Vinčić featured for Lionel Scaloni’s team only once.The special meeting took place in one of the most memorable matches of the 2022 World Cup, Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening group match.The Slovenian captain awarded Argentina a penalty after Leandro Paredes was fouled in the area, allowing Lionel Messi to score from the spot, and later showed six yellow cards to Saudi Arabia’s players.Although Argentina suffered one of the biggest setbacks in World Cup history that afternoon, they recovered to make it six consecutive wins and lift the trophy in Qatar.Sunday’s final will be only the second game in Argentina of Vinčić’s international refereeing career.
Spain’s unbeaten record under Vinčić
Spain, on the other hand, met Vinčić several times, although mainly, both meetings came in UEFA competitions, as the Slovenian referee had never led Spain in a FIFA World Cup match before the 2026 final selection.Before reaching the final, he took charge of four matches against La Roja, with Spain remaining unbeaten in every match.
Before Lamine Yamal came out
Vinčić’s first works that affected Spain came before Lamine Yamal became a world star.His first game for Spain came in a 2017 friendly against Colombia, which ended 2-2, before leading Spain’s goalless Euro 2020 squad against Sweden. He was later selected for La Roja’s UEFA Nations League final against Italy in 2023, where Spain won 2-1, ensuring their participation in Europe’s biggest competitions.Vinčić also led Spain in the exit of Lamine Yamal, including two notable matches in their Euro 2024 triumph.These included Spain’s 1-0 win over Italy and a memorable 2-1 semi-final win over France, where Yamal scored his long-time equalizer before Spain completed their return to European Championship promotion.In both stages, before and after Yamal, Spain maintained a good record under Vinčić, undefeated in all four matches.This contrast adds to the interest of the final, where Spain was undefeated at its whistle, while Argentina’s encounter with the Slovenian captain ended in defeat.
Work continued after the 2020 police investigation
Away from football, Vinčić found himself in international headlines in 2020 after he was arrested during a police investigation into prostitution and organized crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The Slovenian authorities and Vinčić insisted that they were attending a business meeting and were not involved in any terrorist activity. He was released without charge, but charges were filed and he returned to work soon after.His subsequent selection for the final of the Champions League, the European Championship, the World Cup and now the final of the 2026 World Cup shows the confidence UEFA and FIFA continue to place in him since it happened.On Sunday, however, none of that history will matter when the whistle blows. Vinčić will oversee the second World Cup final between reigning champions Argentina and new European champions Spain, with football’s biggest prize and place in history awaiting the winner.
