Read for 5 minutesUpdated: 20 July 2026 12:29 AM IST
The stage is set for an epic FIFA World Cup 2026 grand final as defending champions Argentina take on a resilient Spanish side looking to win their second World Cup since 2010. The match will take place on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA.
Follow Spain vs Argentina FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Live
On Thursday, FIFA announced that veteran Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic will take charge of the historic spectacle.
Spain sealed their place in the final with a 2-0 win over two-time champions France, while Argentina will enter the tournament with another sensational comeback win, this time a 2-1 scoreline over England thanks to late goals from midfielder Enzo Fernandez and substitute Martinez.
Also read | FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: How can Messi beat Mbappe to top spot in final?
The official squad for this historic showdown consists of three Slovenian internationals and two Jordanians, which is:
Lead Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Assistant Referee 1: Tomaž Klančnik (Slovenia)
Assistant Referee 2: Andraž Kovačič (Slovenia)
Fourth Officer: Adham Makhdameh (Jordan)
Reserve Assistant Umpire: Mohammed Al-Kalaf (Jordan)
Find out more about the referees for the Spain vs Argentina final
Slavko Vincic (match referee)
Story continues below this ad
Vincic, 47, earned his FIFA badge in 2010. He is regarded as one of the most experienced and respected referees in top flight football, as he has consistently officiated games in continental and European games.
Also read | Most Goals in FIFA World Cup Finals: Can Messi Break Mbappe’s All-Time Record?
He has made a total of 72 appearances in two of Europe’s elite competitions, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. Previously involved in the game for Argentina, he made his FIFA World Cup refereeing debut in Qatar in 2022, leading Argentina to a group-stage defeat against Saudi Arabia.
This will be Vincic’s fourth match at the World Cup as he has already played in the Round of 32 group-stage matches between Brazil and Morocco (1-1) and Jordan and Algeria (1-2) as well as Mexico and Ecuador (2-0). Vincic came into the limelight after Ecuador defender Piero Hincapi was sent off (Vincic’s first career red card) under the anti-discrimination protocol known as the “Vinicius” law.
Story continues below this ad
This year, he officiated the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, where he infamously sent off French midfielder Eduardo Camvinga in the 86th minute after being shown a second yellow card for an innocuous challenge on Harry Kane when Madrid were leading 3-4 and 3-4-3-2. Going for extra time.
Prior to that, Vincic officiated in the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers and in the 2024 UEFA Champions League final as Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund.
Tomasz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic (Assistant Referees)
Tomaz Klancnik has been a listed official of FIFA since 2016. He has officiated several games in the Turkish league as well as UEFA club competitions. The 43-year-old has a lot of experience in the game. Vincic has run the lines in all three games he has played so far at the World Cup, as the pair have also managed the finals of the European competition together.
Andraz Kovacic has been running the opposite touchline with Klančnik for years, from the domestic league to the international level. Since 2018 he is listed with FIFA as an International Assistant Referee. The 40-year-old Slovenian is well known for his touchline precision when managing offsides in high tempo games.
Story continues below this ad
Klancnik and Kovacic have been running the lines alongside Vincic for a long time now.
Adham Makhdameh (Fourth Officer)
Jordan international Makadameh has been a listed official with FIFA since 2013. He became the first Jordanian referee to officiate a men’s FIFA World Cup match this year. He serves as one of the premier elite referees in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). This World Cup final is his fifth appointment after previously managing matches between Spain and Cape Verde, New Zealand and Belgium, England and DR Congo (Round of 32), and Belgium and USA (Round of 16).
Mohammed Al-Khalaf (Reserve Assistant Referee)
Al-Kalaf has been a FIFA-listed official since 2017. He serves as a top-level assistant referee in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). He has been working regularly with Makhdameh in this World Cup.
Written by Madhav Sachdeva, intern at Online Sports Desk.