Just one week after overseeing the high-profile World Cup final, Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić has officially announced his retirement from professional refereeing. The confirmation was delivered through an official statement released by the Football Association of Slovenia.
The announcement follows a dramatic World Cup climax where Spain clinched the global crown by defeating Argentina courtesy of an extra-time goal scored by Ferran Torres. Deep into stoppage time at the end of regular minutes, Vinčić brandished a red card to Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. Tensions spilled over onto the pitch at the final whistle when Argentina’s Leandro Paredes pushed Spain’s Gavi to the ground. Although Vinčić did not penalise Paredes with a card on the pitch, the unsavoury incident subsequently drew an investigation from FIFA.
Vinčić had already found himself in the spotlight ahead of the final showdown. When FIFA announced his appointment to officiate the tournament’s most prestigious match, the referee broke down in tears. His overarching excellence throughout the tournament was further underscored when the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) named him the best referee of the World Cup. Additionally, the Italian Referees Association (AIA) awarded him the biennial Giulio Campanat Prize, which honours the finest match official from either the World Cup or the European Championship.
Over the course of the tournament, Vinčić took charge of four matches in total. His assignments included the group-stage fixtures between Brazil and Morocco, and Jordan and Algeria, alongside a Round of 16 encounter between Mexico and Ecuador where he issued a red card to Ecuador’s Piero Hincapié for breaching new regulations regarding covering the mouth while speaking.
A member of UEFA’s elite referee panel since 2019, Vinčić boasts an illustrious career path that includes officiating at Euro 2020 and the Euro 2024 semi-final clash between Spain and Italy. Among the crowning achievements of his career was handling the 2024 UEFA Champions League final, where Real Madrid secured a record-extending fifteenth title by defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0. Furthermore, he took charge of the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt, and served as the fourth official for the 2021 Europa League final contested by Manchester United and Villarreal.
His domestic assignments also extended to high-pressure environments, such as overseeing a high-voltage fixture in the Turkish Super Lig between Galatasaray and Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in 2025. Earlier on the international stage, he managed two matches during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, most notably Saudi Arabia’s shock group-stage victory over Argentina.
According to statements from the Slovenian football governing body and relevant sources, Vinčić’s final season had long been mapped out as his farewell campaign. Consequently, his decision to hang up his whistle was not a reactive knee-jerk reaction to post-final criticisms, but rather a carefully planned conclusion to his career, with his recent accolades serving as a fitting crowning glory to a stellar journey.
Having commenced his international career back at Euro 2012 as an additional assistant referee, Vinčić concludes a fourteen-year tenure during which he officiated 72 matches across UEFA’s top two club competitions. He now brings the curtain down on his professional journey directly from the grandest stage in world football.
