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On Thursday, FIFA officially announced the appointment of Slavko Vincic to referee the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, to be held on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. It was an appointment that should have been the crowning achievement of an exemplary career. Except that the 46-year-old Slovenian is dogged by a scandal that the football world would rather forget: in May 2020, he was arrested in Bosnia and Herzegovina during a major police operation targeting a network involved in cocaine trafficking, arms dealing and prostitution.
A dinner that goes wrong
Bosnian police raided a ranch in Bijeljina, in the north of the country.
It is 29 May 2020, in the midst of the pandemic. Bosnian police raided a ranch in Bijeljina, in the north of the country. Inside: 35 people, cocaine, firearms, and nine women described as prostitutes. Among those arrested was a man named Slavko Vincic, who claimed he had come “for a business dinner” and denied any involvement in the trafficking. Released after questioning, he was never prosecuted. But the incident has stuck to his reputation like an indelible stain.
UEFA, which had nevertheless promoted him to international referee in 2010, never publicly commented on the incident. Vincic continued his career without any apparent hindrance: the 2022 Europa League final (Frankfurt v Rangers), the 2023 Champions League semi-final, and then the ultimate accolade in May 2024 with the Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley.
FIFA stands by its decision, but critics are up in arms
By appointing Vincic to referee the most-watched match on the planet — with 1.5 billion viewers expected — FIFA took a calculated risk. On Friday, the governing body published a glowing profile of the Slovenian referee on its official website, highlighting that he is the 23rd referee in history to take charge of a World Cup final, without making the slightest reference to the 2020 incident.
The international press, however, has shown no such restraint. In France, L’Indépendant ran a headline about his “scandal-ridden past”; 20 Minutes highlighted the contrast between FIFA’s praise and the Bosnian archives. Sunday’s final, between Spain and Argentina, will therefore take place with a man in the centre of the pitch whose name, at every major tournament, brings the same controversy back to the fore.
Refereeing under close scrutiny
That leaves the sporting question. Although he has never been convicted, Vincic has a reputation as a strict referee with a penchant for booking players: an average of 6.4 yellow cards per Champions League match last season, and three penalties awarded in the last six international matches he has officiated. On Sunday, in front of 82,000 fans at MetLife Stadium and millions of television viewers, every controversial decision will be scrutinised frame by frame.
For FIFA, the strategy is clear: to rely on the experience of a referee accustomed to major European fixtures to avoid any off-topic controversies. For the critics, it is quite the opposite: choosing a man whose past has never been fully clarified exposes the organisation to a constant reminder of that night in May 2020.
A match scrutinised right down to the video assistant referee
The assistant referees and the fourth official were also appointed on Friday, following the same principle of selecting experienced officials: a Slovenian trio bolstered by a German and a Dutchman, all of whom are already well-versed in major European fixtures. The VAR team, based in Nyon, will be led by a Spanish-Swiss duo, with clear instructions to intervene only in the event of a clear and obvious error.
Vincic, for his part, knows that a single missed penalty or a single instance of simulation that goes unnoticed will be enough to reignite the debate. Sunday’s match is not just a final: it is a test of credibility for a referee whom the global football community has never really assessed in the context of the Bosnian episode. Kick-off is scheduled for 8.00 pm French time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.