World Cup Final Referee Slavko Vincic Announces Retirement
WHO:
WION - Slavko Vincic was greeted by Donald Trump at the medal ceremony for the 2026 World Cup final.
OneFootball - Slavko Vincic, a Slovenian referee.
World Soccer Talk - The Football Association of Slovenia (NZS).
Yahoo Sports - International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), Association of Italian Referees (AIA).
WION - FIFA.
Diario AS - UEFA.
WHAT:
Yahoo Sports - Vincic officiated three matches earlier in the 2026 World Cup, including a knockout encounter between Ecuador and Mexico, where he dismissed Piero Hincapie for covering his mouth under a newly introduced rule.
Diario AS - The Slovenian Football Association is expected to recognize Vincic as the greatest referee in the federation’s history.
OneFootball - Slavko Vincic announced his retirement from refereeing.
World Soccer Talk - Vincic officiated the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on July 19.
Yahoo Sports - Vincic was named the best referee of the 2026 World Cup by IFFHS and received the Giulio Campanati Award from AIA.
WION - Vincic officiated a total of six World Cup matches throughout his career.
Diario AS - Vincic officiated the UEFA Champions League final and the UEFA Europa League final during his career.
WHERE:
OneFootball - The 2026 World Cup final took place at MetLife Stadium, USA.
World Soccer Talk - The knockout match between Mexico and Ecuador was held at Estadio Azteca.
WHEN:
World Soccer Talk - The 2026 World Cup final occurred on July 19.
Yahoo Sports - Vincic's retirement was announced one week after the World Cup final.
WHY:
OneFootball - Vincic's retirement followed his officiating of the World Cup final, marking the end of his international career at its peak.
Yahoo Sports - The Slovenian FA stated that officiating the World Cup final solidified Vincic's status as one of the greatest match officials in history.
HOW:
Gamereactor UK - Vincic's officiating in a 2025 Club World Cup match resulted in nine yellow cards and one red card.
World Soccer Talk - Vincic was visibly moved when he was assigned to officiate the World Cup final.
Yahoo Sports - Vincic issued a second yellow card to Enzo Fernandez during the World Cup final, leading to his ejection from the match.
(UPDATED July 28, 2026 13:29 UTC)
Slavko Vincic was honored by Trump at the medal ceremony for the 2026 World Cup final, marking a significant moment in the tournament. Earlier in the event, Vincic officiated three matches, including a knockout game between Ecuador and Mexico, where he sent off Piero Hincapie for violating a new rule. The Slovenian Football Association is set to recognize Vincic as the greatest referee in its history, following his notable performance that included nine yellow cards and one red card in a 2025 Club World Cup match.
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(UPDATED July 28, 2026 10:51 UTC)
Slavko Vincic, a Slovenian referee, has announced his retirement from officiating just one week after he officiated the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in the USA. Vincic was honored as the best referee of the tournament by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics and received the prestigious Giulio Campanati Award from the Association of Italian Referees, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest match officials in history. Throughout his career, Vincic officiated six World Cup matches, including finals in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, and he left a lasting impact on the sport.