Slavko Vinčić appointed to referee 2026 World Cup final

Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić has been selected to officiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain. The match is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 19, at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Pierluigi Collina, the FIFA Referees Committee chairman, confirmed the appointment, which visibly moved the 46-year-old official. Vinčić will be assisted by his compatriots Tomaž Klancnik and Andraž Kovačič, with Adham Makhadmeh from Jordan serving as the fourth official. This marks the first time a Slovenian referee has presided over a World Cup final. Previously, Vinčić officiated the 2024 Champions League final and the 2022 Europa League final. While his career is distinguished, he has faced past controversy regarding officiating decisions in matches involving teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid. He becomes the 23rd person in history to referee a World Cup final.