FIFA has appointed Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić to officiate the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, which will be played on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The 46-year-old from Maribor will become the first Slovenian referee to take charge of a World Cup final and only the 23rd official in history to oversee football’s biggest match. Vinčić will be assisted by his compatriots Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič, while Jordan’s Adham Makhadmeh has been named fourth official.
Speaking after being informed of his appointment by FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina, Vinčić described the decision as " an incredible honor."
“First of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking, so it’s an incredible honor to get the World Cup final,” he said.
“It’s only a dream for a referee when they start. I’m very proud of myself and my team.”
The final will mark Vinčić’s fourth assignment at the 2026 World Cup. Earlier in the tournament, he officiated Morocco’s opening group-stage match against Brazil, as well as Jordan’s meeting with Algeria and the round-of-32 clash between Mexico and Ecuador.
That knockout match attracted attention after Vinčić sent off Ecuador defender Piero Hincapié under FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol, commonly referred to as the “Vinícius Law.”
One of Europe’s most experienced referees, Vinčić arrives at the final with an extensive résumé at both club and international level. He was in charge of the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers before officiating the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.
He also refereed matches at UEFA Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, including the semi-final between France and Spain, and took charge of fixtures at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Spain and Argentina will meet in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium, with Spain chasing a second world title and Argentina seeking to retain the trophy it won in Qatar in 2022.
