2026 World Cup, Vincic in Tears: A Precedent Has Messi Worried

Slovenian Slavko Vincic will referee the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at New Jersey Stadium in New York. The appointment was made official by Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, who selected the 46-year-old from Maribor to officiate the tournament’s final match.

The announcement was a deeply emotional moment: after being personally informed of the appointment by Collina, Vincic was unable to hold back his tears. “At first it was a shock, then came the joy. I was shaking. Refereeing a World Cup final is an immense honor—every referee’s dream from the moment they take their first steps. I’m proud of myself and my team,” he said.

With this appointment, Vincic makes history as the 23rd referee to officiate a World Cup final and the first Slovenian to do so. “It’s hard to describe how I feel. I’m proud to represent Slovenia at the world’s biggest sporting event, and we’ll do everything we can to rise to the occasion,” he added.

An international referee since 2010, he boasts top-level experience, having officiated over 50 Champions League matches, including the 2024 final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. At the 2026 World Cup, he has already officiated Brazil vs. Morocco and Algeria vs. Jordan in the group stage, as well as the round of 16 match between Mexico and Ecuador.

For Argentina, however, Vincic’s appointment also brings to mind an unpleasant precedent. The Slovenian was, in fact, the referee for Argentina’s surprising 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opener in Qatar in 2022, the Albiceleste’s last setback in a World Cup final tournament before the extraordinary run that led them to the title. On Sunday, therefore, Messi and his teammates will face the same referee in a match of a very different magnitude, with the World Cup title on the line against Spain.