The wild story of Slavko Vinčić: Inside the scandal that nearly ended the World Cup 2026 final referee's career

19.07.26 AET World Cup

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FIFA appointed Slovenian referee to handle Sunday's highly anticipated World Cup final showdown in New Jersey.

FIFA officially handed the whistle for Sunday’s monumental clash at MetLife stadium to the experienced Slovenian official. While the Spanish camp prepares for his strict officiating style , the appointment stirs up incredibly bitter memories for the Argentine squad.

Vincic was the man in the middle during the World Cup 2022 in Qatar when Saudi Arabia pulled off one of the greatest shocks in football history defeating Lionel Messi’s side 2-1 in their opening group fixture.

The shocking 2020 cabin raid

Beyond his history on the pitch, Vincic carries a highly complicated past that nearly destroyed his refereeing career entirely.

In 2020 he made global front page headlines after being detained during a massive police raid in Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Law enforcement authorities stormed a local cabin uncovering a major illegal ring.

The operation yielded nine women, 26 men , 14 bag of cocaine, 10 firearms, 3 bulletproof vests and over 10000 euro in cash.

Reports at the time suggested Vincic was dining with Tijana Maksimovic, the suspected leader of the ring. The referee immediately proclaimed his innocence explaining he merely accepted a casual lunch invite and found himself trapped in a nightmare.

The Slovenian Football Association firmly backed him throughout the ordeal dismissing the entire incident as a case of him being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

From scandal to the pinnacle of football

Rather than allowing the scandal to define him, Vincic successfully rebuilt his professional reputation to become one of UEFA's most trusted elite match officials.

He proved his world class credentials on the biggest club stage by flawlessly officiating the Champions League 2024 final at Wembley where Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund. On Sunday he will be supported by assistant referees Tomaz Klancnik & Andraz Kovacic with Jordan's Adham Makhadmeh stepping in as the fourth official.

Overcoming extreme pressure

Referees overcoming immense personal scrutiny to lead a World Cup final is rare but fascinating occurrence in modern sports history.

Vincic’s dramatic path to the final draws distinct comparisons to legendary Brazilian referee Arnaldo Cezar Coelho. Before officiating the iconic World Cup 1982 final between Italy & West Germany, Coelho faced intense domestic scrutiny and heavy media skepticism regarding his ability to handle high stakes European battle.

Yet he delivered disciplined masterclass in Madrid successfully tuning out the background noise.

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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