Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić breaks down in tears after being named for Spain-Argentina World Cup final

FIFA has appointed Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić to officiate the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday 19 July at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The announcement, made by FIFA referee chief Pierluigi Collina on the night of 16 July, triggered an emotional reaction from the 46-year-old, who covered his face and wept as colleagues applauded. Vinčić becomes the first Slovenian to referee a men's World Cup final.

The announcement and the reaction

Collina gathered all tournament referees in a hall and revealed the choice. A video shared by FIFA shows Vinčić visibly shaking before breaking down. He later told FIFA's website that he felt shock, then happiness.

First came the shock. Then, the happiness. I was trembling. It's an incredible honour to referee a World Cup final.

Vinčić will be assisted by his Slovenian compatriots Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič. Jordan's Adham Makhadmeh will serve as fourth official, while the VAR team includes Germany's Bastian Dankert, Colombia's Nicolás Gallo and Qatar's Khamis al Marri. The third-place match between England and France on Saturday will be handled by Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela.

Vinčić's path to the final

Vinčić has been a FIFA referee since 2010 and is officiating his second World Cup. At Qatar 2022 he took charge of two group-stage matches, including Argentina's shock 1-2 defeat by Saudi Arabia. In the current tournament he has refereed three games: Brazil vs Morocco and Jordan vs Algeria in the group stage, and Mexico vs Ecuador in the round of 32. Collina stressed that performance throughout the competition was the decisive factor.

It's a long process. There are many pieces of this puzzle that need to be put together to form the picture of the final referee, and that happens throughout the competition. Performances are the most important factor.

His career highlights include the 2024 Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, the 2022 Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers, and the Euro 2024 semifinal between Spain and France. He began in the Slovenian league in 2007 and earned his FIFA badge three years later.

The 'Vinícius law' and its application

Vinčić's appointment has drawn attention to a new disciplinary interpretation known informally as the 'Vinícius law'. It allows referees to punish players who cover their mouths while confronting an opponent, a measure introduced after an incident in the 2025-26 Champions League when Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni was accused of directing homophobic insults at Vinícius Júnior while hiding his words. The IFAB subsequently approved the measure, and at this World Cup covering the mouth can be treated as an attempt to conceal discriminatory language.

Vinčić already applied the rule in the Mexico-Ecuador match, sending off Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapié for covering his mouth during a verbal clash with Mexico's Santi Giménez. The decision sparked debate but was consistent with the new directive.

Contrasting records for the finalists

Spain has never lost in five matches officiated by Vinčić, including a 2-1 win over France in the Euro 2024 semifinal and a Nations League victory against Italy. Argentina's only experience with him is the 1-2 defeat by Saudi Arabia in their opening match of Qatar 2022. At club level, Vinčić also refereed the Champions League quarterfinal return leg this season between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, where he showed a second yellow card to Eduardo Camavinga, contributing to Madrid's elimination.

Political undertones and past controversy

The appointment prompted immediate discussion online. Former German referee Manuel Gräfe suggested it was a political gesture by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Collina toward UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, who is Slovenian, aimed at easing tensions ahead of Infantino's re-election bid. Former Swiss referee Urs Meier dismissed that interpretation, arguing that UEFA positions are already settled regardless of the referee's nationality.

Vinčić's career also survived a personal controversy. In May 2020 he was briefly detained during a police raid on a weapons, drug and prostitution ring in Bijeljina, Bosnia. Local media reported a party with alcohol and cocaine. Vinčić said he had accepted an invitation after a business meeting, calling it his biggest mistake, and was released without charge after authorities accepted he had no connection to the criminal suspects.