Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic has been appointed to officiate the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Argentina and Spain, with FIFA handing him the responsibility of overseeing one of the biggest matches in international football.
The high-profile final, scheduled to be played in New York on Sunday, will see Vincic assisted by fellow Slovenian officials Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic as assistant referees. Adham Makhadmeh has been named the fourth official, while Mohammad Alkalaf will serve as the reserve assistant referee.
Confirming the appointment, FIFA's head of refereeing Pierluigi Collina praised the selection in a video shared on social media.
"Playing with golden stripes is something beautiful. I am sure you agree with me. It's beautiful and it's absolutely great. As well, it's great that the referee will be Slavko Vincic," Collina said.
Vincic was visibly emotional when the announcement of his appointment was made, with FIFA also sharing footage of the moment online.
The decision comes amid increased attention on refereeing standards and VAR decisions during the tournament, particularly following discussions around allegations that FIFA has favoured Argentina. Vincic's selection has added another layer of focus on the officials ahead of the final.
At 46, Vincic has reached the highest point of his refereeing career. He made his World Cup debut during the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where he officiated two matches. The Argentina-Spain final will be his sixth World Cup appearance overall and his fourth assignment of the current edition.
The Slovenian official has extensive experience handling major football fixtures. One of the biggest achievements of his career came when he refereed the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium, an assignment considered among the greatest honours for European referees.
He was also the referee for the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers.
Vincic's career record includes numerous UEFA Champions League matches as well as appointments in the UEFA European Championship, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Nations League, FIFA Club World Cup, youth competitions and senior international qualifiers.
The Slovenian referee has a notable history with Argentina, having officiated one of the most painful defeats in the country's football history.
Vincic was the referee when Argentina faced Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Lionel Messi's team suffered a shock 1-2 defeat, ending Argentina's remarkable 36-match unbeaten international run.
That loss remains Argentina's most recent defeat in a FIFA World Cup match.
During that game, Vincic awarded Argentina a penalty after Leandro Paredes was brought down during a corner kick. Lionel Messi converted the spot-kick successfully, giving Argentina the lead before Saudi Arabia completed a famous comeback.
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