Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić has described his appointment to officiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup final as “an incredible honour” after being selected to take charge of Sunday’s showpiece between Spain and Argentina.
The 46-year-old will become the first Slovenian referee to oversee a men’s World Cup final when he leads the officiating team at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He will be assisted by fellow Slovenians Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič.
FIFA released footage showing the moment Vinčić was informed of his appointment, with the experienced official becoming visibly emotional and breaking into tears.
Speaking after receiving the news, Vinčić admitted the moment was overwhelming.
“First of all, it was a shock, then happiness. I was shaking. It’s an incredible honour to be appointed for the World Cup final,” he said.
“It’s only a dream for every referee when they begin their career. I’m very proud of myself, my team and to represent Slovenia at the biggest sporting event in the world. We will do our best.”
Vinčić has been a FIFA international referee since 2010 and is regarded as one of Europe’s most experienced match officials. He officiated at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and also took charge of the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final between defending champions Argentina and European champions Spain will be played on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00 CET.
