Slavko Vincic, who officiated FIFA WC final, announces retirement
New Delhi, July 27
Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, who officiated the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina, has announced his retirement from refereeing.
As the crowning glory of his farewell season, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) declared him the best referee of the World Cup, and in Italy he received the prestigious Giulio Campanati Award.
Vincic, 46, made his World Cup debut in Qatar, where he was assigned to two matches, and has added another three assignments to his tally during the 2026 tournament. FIFA 2026 final marked his sixth career World Cup match, and his fourth of this edition.
Among the highlights of his career is the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium, one of the most prestigious appointments a European referee can receive. He has also officiated at the UEFA European Championship, World Cup qualifiers, the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Nations League and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Born in Maribor on November 25, 1979, Vincic worked as the sixth referee at the 2012 European Championship and, together with the Slovenian team, reached the quarter-finals of the European Championship between Greece and Germany.
In 2013, he refereed the final tournament of the European Under-17 Championship in Slovakia and reached the semi-finals, and in 2015 he refereed for the first time in the knockout stages of European competitions, when he refereed the Europa League round of 16 match between Guingamp and Dynamo Kiev.
At EURO 2016, he assisted the Slovenian team led by Damir Skomina as the sixth referee, and in the final round of the 2016 Champions League group stage, he made his debut in the most elite club competition as a referee in a match between Manchester City and Celtic. Since then, he has regularly refereed Champions League matches, and at the end of 2019 he was included in the elite group of European referees.
His experience extended across every level of the international game. He worked at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India in 2017, the UEFA Under-21 European Championship in Poland and the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2019 before making his senior FIFA World Cup debut in Qatar in 2022. There, he officiated Argentina's surprise group-stage defeat to Saudi Arabia, beginning a World Cup journey that culminated in the honour of refereeing the 2026 final.
In club football's premier competition, he made his UEFA Champions League refereeing debut during the 2016 group stage and went on to oversee 72 matches across UEFA's top two club competitions. His biggest assignment came in 2024 when he refereed the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
— IANS
Reader Comments
A truly remarkable career journey - from the U-17 World Cup in India 2017 to the FIFA World Cup final in 2026. That Champions League final at Wembley was one of the best officiated matches I've seen; he let the game flow and only intervened when absolutely necessary. Respect from a football lover in Kolkata! ⚽
I remember watching him referee that Saudi Arabia vs Argentina match in 2022 - one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history! He handled the pressure well. It's nice to see a referee get recognition, even though players usually hog the limelight. Hope he enjoys a peaceful retirement.
Admirable career, but I have to say - officiating standards still need improvement globally. There were some contentious decisions in that 2026 final, especially the penalty call on Messi's dribble. He got most calls right though, and the Giulio Campanati Award is a fitting honour for a dedicated official. 🇮🇳
What a journey from the U-17 World Cup in India to the senior World Cup final! That 2017 tournament was when I first saw him, and even then his positioning and decision-making were top-notch. 72 Champions League matches is a staggering number. Well done, Slavko - you've been an inspiration to young referees everywhere, including in India.
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