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Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic has been appointed to officiate the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday.

Vincic will be assisted by his fellow countrymen Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first referee from Slovenia to take charge of a World Cup final.

“At first, it was a shock — then came happiness. I was trembling; it’s an incredible honour to be selected for the World Cup final,” said Vincic, who was visibly emotional after receiving the news. “It’s something that every young referee dreams about when they start their career. I’m extremely proud — proud of myself and proud of my team.”

He further added, “It’s hard to express everything in words, but representing Slovenia on the biggest sporting stage in the world fills me with immense pride. My team and I will give our very best.”

Vincic is regarded as one of Europe’s most experienced officials, with a long track record of managing high-profile matches at the top level.

He officiated the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, two years after overseeing the Europa League final between Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 46-year-old has also refereed at two European Championships, including Spain’s Euro 2024 semi-final victory over France on their way to winning the title.

Vincic made his World Cup debut in Qatar in 2022, where his first match was Argentina’s stunning opening defeat to Saudi Arabia — a setback Lionel Scaloni’s team famously overcame on their path to lifting the trophy.

Sunday’s final will be Vincic’s sixth match in World Cup history and his fourth officiating assignment of the current tournament. His campaign began in the group stage with Brazil’s 1-1 draw against Morocco.

He also managed Algeria’s group-stage win over Jordan and later took charge of co-host Mexico’s round-of-32 victory against Ecuador, another surprise package of the competition.