Who is Slavko Vincic? Meet the controversial World Cup final referee for Spain vs. Argentina

Who is Slavko Vincic? Meet the controversial World Cup final referee for Spain vs. Argentina originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The World Cup final match is the biggest soccer match in the world, and it is a huge accomplishment for the referee set to officiate the match.

This year's final between Spain and Argentina will be especially scrutinized as many have criticized the officiating all throughout the tournament. A referee in soccer has a lot of power all alone, as how the match is officiated can influence the style in which both teams play.

Therefore, FIFA has assigned a veteran referee to the World Cup final on Sunday afternoon in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Here's who is tasked with officiating the match.

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Who is the referee for Spain vs. Argentina?

Veteran referee Slavko Vincic will be officiating the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. The 46-year-old has been an international FIFA referee since 2010 and has been the referee in 72 Champions League and Europa League matches in his career.

Vincic is no stranger to big matches, as he officiated the 2022 Europa League final and the 2024 Champions League final. This match will mark Vincic's third of the 2026 World Cup.

Vincic is from Slovenia and said he is excited to represent Slovenia at the World Cup final.

"It's very difficult to put everything into words, but I'm very proud to represent my country, Slovenia, in the biggest sporting event in the world," Vincic said, via ESPN. "So, yeah, I'm very proud. My team is very proud and we will do our best."

As its own country, Slovenia has made just two World Cups, once in 2002 and again in 2010. Slovenia has just one win in those two appearances and has never advanced past the group stage.

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In 2020, Vincic was one of several people detained in Bosnia and Herzegovina in an alleged international prostitution ring. Police held 26 men and nine women from the party after finding cocaine, firearms and over $11,000 in cash, all while violating pandemic lockdown rules.

Police questioned Vincic for his role, but the referee was ultimately released and never accused of taking part in the illegal activities.

"I found myself on this ranch by chance. I have my own company, I was in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a business meeting. I accepted an invitation to lunch, which turned out to be my biggest mistake," Vincic told a Slovenian paper, via the New York Post.

"I regret it. I was sitting at a table with my company, all of a sudden the police came and what happened, happened. I have nothing to do with the group that was arrested and detained, nor do my business partners. Yes, they really took us to the police, asked [us] as witnesses, when it turned out that we didn't even know them, we were able to go."