On Friday, FIFA appointed Slovenian Slavko Vinčić as referee for the upcoming World Cup final between defending champion Argentina and Spain on Sunday, making him the first Slovenian referee to officiate a World Cup final. After earning the honor of being the 23rd referee in World Cup finals, the Slovenian referee considered this appointment the fruit of teamwork built over many years. Vinčić, 46, from Maribor, said he was informed of his appointment as referee for the world final by Italian Pierluigi Collina, head of FIFA's Referees Committee, confirming that the news surprised him, saying: "At first it was a shock, then I felt happy, I was trembling, an incredible honor to referee a World Cup final, it is a dream for any referee, from when he is young and starts his career, so I am very proud, proud of myself and my team." The Slovenian referee added: "It is really difficult to express everything I feel in words, but I am proud to represent my country, Slovenia, at the biggest sporting event in the world, yes, I am very proud, and my team as well, and we will do our best." Collina noted that the main factor behind choosing the final referee was his performance throughout the tournament, adding: "It is a long and complex process, there are many elements that must be brought together to form the final picture of the referee who will officiate the final match, and this evolves throughout the tournament. Of course, the performances of the referees remain the most important factor, and the matches they have previously officiated are also taken into account, in addition to the fact that their country's team is not participating in this stage of the tournament, but performance remains the main criterion, in the end, that is what really matters." Vinčić explained that his preparations for the final will not differ much from the approach he followed throughout the tournament, stating: "The preparations will not change much, we will analyze the two teams again, although we have been following them for more than forty days, and we will maintain focus, and we will strive to be in the best mental and physical condition, and we will do everything in our power so that we are not the focus of discussion after the match." Vinčić is considered an experienced referee, having officiated a number of prominent 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, Vinčić officiated the 2024 Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, and was also a referee at Euro 2024, officiating several matches, including the semifinal between France and Spain. Last year, Vinčić participated with referees at the 2025 Club World Cup in America. The Slovenian referee is attending the World Cup for the second time, having also officiated two matches at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. In the current World Cup, Vinčić officiated the matches Brazil vs. Morocco and Jordan vs. Algeria in the group stage, 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 the reserve assistant referee. Meanwhile, the third-place match between France and England, early Sunday in Miami, will be officiated by Venezuelan Jesus 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.