The Slovenian FA has confirmed that Slavko Vincic, the referee for the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, has officially retired. The 46-year-old hung up his whistle days after overseeing Spain's victory in the United States.
The football association of his native country announced the news in an official statement: "One week after the World Cup final in the USA, Slavko Vinčić officially concluded his historic refereeing career at the very top of the world." The statement noted that Vincic became the first Slovenian head referee to officiate a World Cup final and was named best referee of the tournament by the IFFHS, also receiving the Giulio Campanati award in Italy.
Career highlights
Vincic's career included refereeing three Europa League finals, including the 2022 match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers. He also took charge of the 2024 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. His experience in high-stakes fixtures was a factor in his World Cup final appointment.
During the tournament, he officiated three matches, including the knockout game between Ecuador and Mexico, where he sent off Piero Hincapie for placing his hand over his mouth while addressing a Mexico player. In the final, he showed a red card to Argentina's Enzo Fernandez after two yellow cards.
Post-match incident and FIFA investigation
Argentina were fortunate to finish with only one dismissal, as substitute Leandro Parades appeared to throw punches during a post-match melee. Vincic struggled to separate the players. A FIFA investigation was opened, with no conclusive verdict yet. The only official clarification is that Parades did not receive a red card after the final whistle.
