The name set to define football's biggest night has been confirmed. FIFA has announced that Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic will take charge of Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium. The 46-year-old was overcome with emotion upon learning of the appointment from FIFA Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina.
Vincic's reaction was deeply heartfelt: "So, first of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking, so it's an incredible honour to get the World Cup final. It's something that... it's only a dream for a referee, for a young referee when they start. So, I'm very proud, very proud of myself, my team. I'm very proud to represent my country, Slovenia, in the biggest sporting event in the world."
The appointment also carries historic significance. Vincic becomes the 23rd person in history to referee a FIFA World Cup final, and the first from Slovenia to take on the role. He will be joined on the pitch by fellow Slovenians Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic as assistant referees, while Jordan's Adham Makhadmeh will serve as fourth official and Qatar's Mohammad Alkalaf as reserve assistant referee.
His career shows he has earned this moment. Having already officiated major fixtures such as the 2024 Champions League final (Real Madrid-Borussia Dortmund) and the 2022 UEFA Europa League final (Eintracht Frankfurt-Rangers), Vincic previously took charge of the Brazil-Morocco and Jordan-Algeria group matches at this tournament, as well as the Round of 32 clash between Mexico and Ecuador — a match in which he sent off Ecuador's Piero Hincapie under the anti-discrimination protocol known as the "Vinicius Law."
His history with both finalists is also notable. Vincic's history with Argentina carries a sensitive context: he took charge of Lionel Messi's side's controversial opening match at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia that ended their 36-match unbeaten run. He also has significant history with Spain, having officiated their Euro 2024 semi-final win over France on their way to the title.
Image: Sofascore
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