FIFA Picks Slovenian Referee Vinčić for 2026 World Cup Final
FIFA has named Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić as the man who will take charge of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
The final will be played on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with the two football giants battling for the biggest prize in the game.
Vinčić will be assisted by his fellow Slovenians Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič, while Adham Makhadmeh of Jordan will serve as the fourth official.
The final will be Vinčić’s fourth match at the 2026 World Cup. Earlier in the tournament, he handled the group games between Brazil and Morocco, and Jordan and Algeria. He also took charge of the Round of 32 match between Mexico and Ecuador.
The Slovenian referee is no stranger to major football matches. In 2024, he officiated the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium. He was also the referee for the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers.
Vinčić has previous experience with both finalists. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he officiated Argentina’s surprise 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in the group stage. Despite that loss, Argentina recovered and went on to win the tournament.
He also handled Spain’s 1-0 victory over Italy during the group stage of UEFA Euro 2024.
With Spain aiming to win their second World Cup title and Argentina hoping to successfully defend the trophy they won in Qatar and claim a fourth world crown, Vinčić and his officiating team will be under close watch throughout Sunday’s final.
