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The Football Association of Slovenia announced the retirement of Slavko Vincic on July 27, 2026. According to the association, the 49-year-old called time on his officiating career one week after taking charge of the 2026 World Cup final. The statement highlighted that he had rounded off his final season by being named the world’s top match official by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics for his World Cup performances, and he also received Italy’s Giulio Campanati Award. The association described it as the end of a distinguished career in its official statement.
Vincic had been a member of UEFA’s elite refereeing panel since 2019, UEFA documentation confirms. He officiated at UEFA Euro 2020 and the Euro 2024 semi-final between Spain and Italy. He also handled the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund along with the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers. UEFA records show he oversaw 72 matches in its competitions.
FIFA selected Vincic to referee the final between Spain and Argentina, making him the first Slovenian referee to be assigned a World Cup final, according to FIFA records. Two Slovenian assistant referees joined him for the match, which ended with Spain defeating Argentina 1-0 after extra time. The appointment capped his participation in two FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships spanning 2020 to 2026. FIFA data indicated he had been an international-listed referee since 2010.
Referee statistics from databases such as StatsHub place Vincic’s career total at around 330 matches in which he issued 1,364 yellow cards and 67 red cards including second yellows. The Slovenian official maintained an average of 4.13 yellow cards per game across his career, those figures show. He made his debut in Slovenian domestic competitions in 2007 before progressing to the international level, according to career compilations.
The retirement was announced just one week after the World Cup final, as reported by Qatar News Agency citing the Slovenian association. Vincic leaves having featured in multiple high-profile European and global tournaments that tested top officials. His consistent selection for finals reflected steady recognition from governing bodies, UEFA assessments found. The statement from the Football Association of Slovenia provided the details of his achievements and departure from the game.
