Announced the chief referee for the 2026 World Cup final

Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčič has been appointed as the head referee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina.

This was announced by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) on the social network X.

The footage shows the 46-year-old Slovenian reacting emotionally to the appointment: in the announcement video, he covered his face with his hands and wiped his eyes before accepting congratulations from colleagues. He will be assisted by compatriots Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič (assistants), while Adham Makhadmeh and Mohammad Al-Kalaf from Jordan have been appointed as fourth and reserve officials.

At the 2026 World Cup, S. Vinčič officiated as head referee in three matches: Brazil-Morocco (1:1), Jordan-Algeria (1:2), and Mexico-Ecuador (2:0, Round of 32), showing 7 yellow and 1 red card.

The Spain-Argentina final will be held at MetLife Stadium on July 19 at 23:00 Baku time.