Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić has retired from officiating at the highest level after taking charge of the 2026 Fifa World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
The Slovenian Football Association (NZS) confirmed that the 46-year-old has officially brought his refereeing career to an end, just days after he was entrusted with one of the most prestigious assignments in world football.
Vinčić’s appointment to referee the World Cup final provided a fitting conclusion to a distinguished career. FIFA selected the Slovenian to oversee the tournament’s showpiece match, with Spain and Argentina meeting in the final.
Several referees had reportedly been considered for the high-profile appointment before FIFA made its decision. Among the names linked with the match were Poland’s Szymon Marciniak and Iran’s Alireza Faghani.
The decision ultimately went in favour of Vinčić, who was given responsibility for officiating the biggest match of the tournament in what proved to be his final appearance as a referee.
His retirement means his career has ended at the very top of the international game, despite facing criticism during the season over some of the European matches he officiated.
The Slovenian’s final assignment came after he had already established himself as a referee trusted to handle major occasions. His career also included the 2024 Champions League final at Wembley, another of European football’s most significant fixtures.
His retirement was announced in the aftermath of the World Cup, with the Slovenian Football Association paying tribute to the official and highlighting his contribution to the game.
The recognition continued after the tournament, when the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) named Vinčić the best referee of the 2026 World Cup.
That honour added further distinction to the end of his career and came shortly after he had been chosen to officiate the final between Spain and Argentina.
Vinčić’s decision to retire brings an end to a career that reached its highest point on the world’s biggest football stage. Having been selected by FIFA to referee the World Cup final, he was able to finish his time as an official with one of the most coveted appointments available to a referee.
The Slovenian Football Association described Vinčić as a respected official as it confirmed his retirement, marking the conclusion of his time as a referee at the highest level.
Although his career included periods when his performances attracted criticism, his final weeks in the role were marked by significant recognition. He not only refereed the World Cup final but was subsequently named the tournament’s best referee by the IFFHS.
For Vinčić, the World Cup final therefore represented both the culmination of his international refereeing career and his final match before retirement.
His last appearance came at the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, after FIFA had selected him ahead of other referees reportedly in contention for the final.
The 46-year-old now leaves refereeing with his career ending on football’s biggest stage and with the distinction of having been recognised as the best referee of the tournament.
