Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, known for officiating the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina, has announced his retirement from refereeing. Vincic, aged 46, was honored as the best referee of the World Cup by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) and received the prestigious Giulio Campanati Award in Italy.
Having made his World Cup debut in Qatar, Vincic handled a total of five matches during the 2026 tournament, with the final being his sixth career World Cup match and the fourth of that edition. Throughout his career, Vincic has officiated at various prestigious events including the UEFA Champions League final, UEFA European Championship, World Cup qualifiers, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Nations League, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Born in Maribor on November 25, 1979, Vincic has had a remarkable journey in the world of football refereeing. His experience spans across different levels of the international game, from the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India in 2017 to the UEFA Under-21 European Championship in Poland and the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2019. Vincic’s retirement marks the end of a successful career that culminated in his role in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
