The referee for the 2026 World Cup final couldn't hold back his tears after his historic appointment
Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić has been appointed as the head referee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, which will feature the national teams of Spain and Argentina.
When FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina announced the decision, the 46-year-old referee was unable to hide his emotions and broke down in tears. For Vinčić, this was a special moment in his career.
Vinčić will be assisted in the decisive match by his regular assistants, Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič.
It should be noted that Vinčić has been a FIFA referee since 2010. Throughout his career, he has officiated matches in the Champions League, Euro 2020, the 2022 Europa League final, and the 2024 Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium.
As a reminder, at the 2026 World Cup, the Slovenian has already officiated the group stage matches Brazil vs. Morocco (1–1) and Jordan vs. Algeria (1–2), as well as the Round of 16 match between Mexico and Ecuador (2–0), in which he sent off defender Piero Incapie.
Introducing your referee for the @FIFAWorldCup 2026 Final....
Congratulations, Slavko Vinčić! pic.twitter.com/OMLJ3oA31p— FIFA (@FIFAcom) July 17, 2026
The FIFA World Cup Final will take place on July 19 in East Rutherford. The match will kick off at 10:00 p.m. Kyiv time.
An hour and a half before kickoff, a spectacular show will begin, featuring Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, British singer Robbie Williams, and American singer Nicole Scherzinger.
This was reported by FIFA.
FIFA has invited top Hollywood stars to the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony.
MEPs are calling for an investigation into the FIFA president over the bonus paid to Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump may become one of the key figures at the 2026 World Cup final, and FIFA is reportedly ready to deviate from its long-standing ceremonial protocol. This could allow for an exceptional format for the politician’s participation in official match events.
