Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic has officially brought his refereeing career to an end after overseeing the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina.

The 46-year-old signed off after one of the most memorable seasons of his career. Alongside receiving the honour of officiating football’s biggest international match, Vincic was named the Best Referee of the FIFA World Cup by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS). He also received Italy’s prestigious Giulio Campanati Award in recognition of his achievements.

His retirement closes a career that spanned more than a decade at the highest level of world football.

World Cup journey ends on the biggest stage

Vincic first appeared at a FIFA World Cup during the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where he took charge of two matches.

He returned for the 2026 edition and handled four fixtures, including the final between Spain and Argentina. The title clash marked his sixth World Cup match overall and the final assignment of his refereeing career.

His first World Cup appointment came during Argentina’s shock group-stage defeat to Saudi Arabia in Qatar. Four years later, he completed his World Cup journey by taking charge of the tournament’s biggest match.

UEFA Champions League final among career highlights

One of the defining moments of Vincic’s club career came in 2024 when UEFA selected him to referee the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.

The appointment is regarded as one of the highest honours for a European referee.

He made his UEFA Champions League debut during the 2016 group stage in a match between Manchester City and Celtic. Over the following years, he became a regular official in Europe’s top club competition and finished his career with 72 matches across UEFA’s two premier club tournaments. By the end of 2019, Vincic had also earned a place in UEFA’s elite group of referees.

From youth tournaments to football’s biggest competitions

Born in Maribor on November 25, 1979, Vincic steadily progressed through every level of international officiating. He worked as the sixth referee at UEFA Euro 2012 before officiating at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Slovakia in 2013, where he reached the semi-finals.

Also Read | Manchester United sign Kit Margetson as Kone talks advance

In 2015, he handled his first Europa League knockout match, taking charge of the Round of 16 meeting between Guingamp and Dynamo Kyiv. He later served as the sixth referee for the Slovenian officiating team at UEFA Euro 2016 before making his Champions League refereeing debut later that year.

Vincic also officiated at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in India in 2017, the UEFA Under-21 European Championship in Poland and the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2019. His international experience extended to World Cup qualifiers, the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Nations League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Decorated career comes to a fitting conclusion

From youth competitions to major international finals, Slavko Vincic built one of the most distinguished refereeing careers in European football.

Also Read | Cristiano Ronaldo to produce and appear in new football drama ‘Day 1s’

His final season brought some of the highest honours available to a match official, including the FIFA World Cup final, recognition as the tournament’s best referee by the IFFHS and the Giulio Campanati Award. With those achievements, the Slovenian referee ends his career after officiating on the biggest stages the sport has to offer.

FAQs

Why is Slavko Vincic retiring from refereeing?

Slavko Vincic has retired after the 2025-26 season, ending his career following the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.

Which major finals did Slavko Vincic referee?

He officiated the FIFA World Cup 2026 final and the UEFA Champions League 2024 final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.