Slavko Vinčić Retires After Historic World Cup Final

Slavko Vinčić officially retired from football one week after officiating the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, marking him as the first Slovenian referee to reach this milestone. The Slovenia Football Association announced his retirement, praising him for concluding his career at the pinnacle of the sport.

Vinčić officiated four matches during the tournament and was awarded the best referee of the World Cup by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), along with the prestigious Giulio Campanati award in Italy. His career began at the age of 20, becoming a professional referee in 2007 and earning his FIFA badge in 2010.

Notably, he had officiated in both the Europa League and UEFA Champions League finals prior to the World Cup. During the final, he issued three red cards, including two to Argentina's Enzo Fernandez and Leandro Paredes.