Slovenian Referee Slavko Vincic to Officiate 2026 World Cup Final Amid Past Arrest Allegations

Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic has been appointed to officiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, scheduled for Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Vincic, a top UEFA official, has previously refereed major European finals including the Champions League and Europa League finals. Earlier this year, he also officiated a high-scoring match between Israel and Italy.

Vincic's appointment has drawn attention due to his 2020 arrest in Bosnia and Herzegovina during a police raid on a luxury villa linked to an organized crime ring involved in prostitution, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling. Although Vincic was detained and questioned on suspicion of connections to the criminal network, he was quickly released without charges after authorities concluded he was not involved. He explained that he was at the villa for a business meeting and did not know the arrested individuals. Both the Slovenian referees association and FIFA accepted his explanation and allowed him to continue his international refereeing career.

A video of Vincic receiving the news of his World Cup final appointment went viral, showing him overcome with emotion and pride. He described the honor as a dream come true and expressed pride in representing Slovenia at the sport's biggest event.

This final will mark Vincic's first time refereeing an Argentina match since their surprising 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the 2022 World Cup group stage. He has also officiated Spain three times, with two wins and one draw under his management. The match is highly anticipated, not only for the teams involved but also due to the referee's controversial past.

FIFA confirmed Vincic's role despite the past incident, underscoring their confidence in his integrity and professionalism. The final is expected to be a highlight of the tournament, with Vincic at the center of the action.