Slovenia’s Slavko Vincic appointed referee for World Cup final in New York

By Rohan Gupta — 17 July 2026 — 3 min read

FIFA has announced the match officials for the FIFA World Cup 2026 final and the third-place playoff. The final, scheduled for July 19 local time in New York, will feature a match between defending champions Argentina and Spain.

Slavko Vincic of Slovenia has been appointed to referee the final. He will be joined by his compatriots Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic, who will serve as assistant referees. Adham Makhadmeh will act as the fourth official, with Mohammad Alkalaf as the reserve assistant referee. Vincic’s appointment for the final prompted an emotional reaction from the Slovenian referee, who was visibly moved to tears upon the announcement.

The emotional response from Vincic highlights the significance of officiating a World Cup final, a moment that resonates deeply with the officials as much as it does with the players. His reaction was observed during the public announcement to the referee contingent, where he was subsequently congratulated by his colleagues.

Finalists’ Path to the Summit Clash

Argentina secured their place in the final after a dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the semifinal. Anthony Gordon initially put England ahead in the 55th minute. However, Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 85th minute, following a pass from Lionel Messi. The winning goal for Argentina came in stoppage time, scored by Lautaro Martinez from a cross delivered by Messi. Messi played a crucial role in both goals, providing assists, even though he did not score himself.

This semifinal result ended England’s aspirations of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966. England will now compete against France in the third-place match.

Spain earned their spot in the final by defeating France 2-0. This marks Spain’s first final appearance since their victory in 2010. The opening goal came from a penalty, converted by Mikel Oyarzabal in the 22nd minute, after Lamine Yamal earned the spot-kick by dispossessing Lucas Digne. Pedro Porro extended Spain’s lead after the break, concluding a play that involved Dani Olmo.

Despite attempts from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, France was unable to score. Spain’s defence proved resilient, securing their sixth clean sheet in seven matches throughout the tournament and marking their second-ever World Cup final appearance.

Officials for the Third-Place Match and Vincic’s Career

For the third-place match between England and France, Venezuela’s Jesus Valenzuela has been appointed as the referee. His fellow Venezuelans, Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno, will serve as the first and second assistant referees, respectively. Jalal Jayed is named the fourth official, with Zakaria Brinsi as the reserve assistant referee.

Slavko Vincic is recognised as one of UEFA’s most experienced referees, having been a FIFA-listed official since 2010. His career includes officiating several significant matches, notably the 2024 UEFA Champions League final. At the international level, he officiated two matches during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has overseen three games in the current edition of the tournament.

His most recent assignment in the ongoing tournament was on July 1, during the Round of 32 match where Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0. This particular match was noted for its intensity, resulting in multiple bookings, including a straight red card for Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie for breaching FIFA regulations. The assistant referees, Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic, have worked alongside Vincic on the international circuit for over 10 years, forming a long-standing officiating partnership.

Source: thenewsmill.com

Rohan Gupta

Sports Reporter