Which Slovenian referee was named for the 2026 World Cup final?
Answer
Slavko Vinčić
Slavko Vinčić of Slovenia was named to referee the 2026 World Cup final.
Vinčić took charge of the final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Spain won 1–0 after extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring in the 106th minute. Vinčić’s appointment made him the central referee for one of football’s most watched matches.
The Slovenian official has been on FIFA’s international list since 2010 and had already handled major UEFA fixtures. He refereed the 2022 UEFA Europa League final and the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
The distractors are all prominent English or French referees, which makes the question easy to confuse with other high-profile appointments. Clément Turpin, Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor were among the UEFA referees selected for the wider 2026 World Cup officiating group, but the final appointment went to Vinčić.