Slovenian Referee Slavko Vinčić to Officiate 2026 World Cup Final

Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić, aged 46, has been selected to officiate the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Vinčić is a highly experienced and respected official within UEFA, having previously refereed major European finals including the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, which ended 2-0 in favor of Real Madrid, and the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League final where Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Rangers on penalties.

Vinčić is also familiar to Israeli football fans, having refereed Israel's memorable 5-4 victory over Italy. He has officiated two other Israeli national team matches: a 1-1 draw against Romania in 2022/23 and a 1-1 draw with Scotland in 2020/21. Additionally, Vinčić has refereed two matches involving Maccabi Haifa, including a 3-0 loss to Bodø/Glimt in the 2023/24 Champions League playoffs and a 2-0 defeat to Khazar Lankaran in the 2013/14 Europa League qualifiers.

Being appointed to referee the World Cup final is considered the highest honor for a football official, marking the pinnacle of Vinčić's refereeing career. The announcement was made on July 17, 2026, highlighting his distinguished record in both club and international football competitions.