The referee for Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is Slavko Vinčič of Slovenia — the first official from his country ever to take charge of a World Cup final, and only the 23rd person to referee one in the tournament’s history. The 46-year-old from Maribor was informed of the appointment by FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina and described his reaction as “first of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking.”
Vinčič arrives with an elite résumé — the 2024 Champions League final, the 2022 Europa League final, 72 European club matches and two World Cups — and with genuine history involving both finalists. The only Argentina match he’s ever refereed was the most famous upset of the modern era: Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 shock in the 2022 group stage, where he awarded the early penalty Messi converted. Spain, meanwhile, has never lost in five matches with Vinčič in the middle, including its Euro 2024 semifinal win over France. In three matches at this tournament he’s shown seven yellows, one red — to Ecuador’s Piero Hincapié under one of the tournament’s new conduct rules — and hasn’t awarded a penalty.
The Bottom Line
Slavko Vinčič: Slovenia’s first World Cup final referee, with the 2024 Champions League final behind him and history with both teams in front of him. The card rules he’ll enforce are explained in the yellow card rules, and the tie procedure he may have to manage in what happens if the final is tied.