Slavko Vincic will become the first Slovenian referee to officiate a FIFA World Cup final, after being appointed by FIFA to take charge of the highly anticipated match on Sunday between defending champions Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

After being honored as the 23rd referee in a World Cup final, the Slovenian official praised his assistants and family, considering the appointment the fruit of collective work built over many years.

The 46-year-old referee from Maribor said he was informed of his appointment by FIFA's head of refereeing and chairman of the referees committee, Italian Pierluigi Collina, confirming that the news surprised him.

He added: 'At first it was a shock, then I felt happy. I was trembling. It's an incredible honor to referee the World Cup final. It's a dream for any referee, for any young referee when they start their career. So I'm very proud, proud of myself and my team.'

He continued: 'It's really hard to put all my feelings into words, but I'm very proud to represent my country, Slovenia, at the biggest sporting event in the world. Yes, I'm extremely proud, and so is my team, and we will give our best.'

Vincic is considered an experienced referee, having officiated a number of top matches in European and international football.

He was a referee at Euro 2020, then officiated the 2022 Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers.

Two years later, he officiated the 2024 Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, and was also a referee at Euro 2024 where he took charge of several matches, including the semi-final between France and Spain.

Last year, he was among the referees at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

The Slovenian is appearing at the World Cup for the second time, having also officiated two matches at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

In the current tournament, Vincic officiated the Brazil vs Morocco and Jordan vs Algeria group stage matches, and then Mexico vs Ecuador in the round of 32.

Jordanian Adham Makhadmeh will be the fourth official in the final, while his compatriot Mohammad Al Kalaf will serve as reserve assistant referee.

Collina said the main factor in choosing the final referee was his performance throughout the tournament, adding: 'It's a long and complex process. There are many elements that must come together to form the final picture of the referee who will take charge of the final match, and that evolves throughout the tournament.'

He continued: 'Of course, the referees' performances remain the most important factor. Also taken into account are the matches they have officiated previously, as well as their country not being involved at this stage of the tournament, but performance is the main criterion. In the end, that's what really matters.'

Vincic explained that his preparations for the final will not differ much from his approach throughout the tournament, saying: 'Preparations won't change much. We will again analyze the two teams, even though we have been following them for more than forty days. We will analyze the teams, maintain focus, aim to be in the best mental and physical condition, and do everything we can so that we are not the center of attention after the match.'

As for the third-place match between France and England on Saturday in Miami, it will be officiated by Venezuelan Jesús Valenzuela, assisted by his compatriots Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno, with Moroccan Jalal Jid as fourth official and his compatriot Zakaria Brinsi as reserve assistant.