The statistical controversy of the final: Spain had not lost any match officiated by Slavko Vinčić

The appointment of Slavko Vinčić as the referee for the final of the 2026 World Cup between Spain and Argentina raised questions before the match for various reasons and, after the Spanish victory by 1-0, the debate gained even more momentum. Beyond his performance during the 120 minutes, FIFA decided to place a referee with a remarkable background at the forefront of the tournament's most important match: the Spanish national team had never lost a match under his officiating.

This fact was not insignificant. Before the final held in New Jersey, Vinčić had already officiated Spain five times and the record was overwhelmingly favorable: three wins and two draws. With the success against the Albiceleste, the record stood at six matches without defeats.

The series began on June 7, 2017, when Spain drew 2-2 against Colombia in an international friendly. Then came the goalless draw against Sweden in the group stage of Euro 2020.

From there on, all were wins. The Slovenian referee officiated the 2-1 victory over Italy in the 2023 Nations League semifinals, repeated his presence in the 1-0 against the Italians during the group stage of Euro 2024, and was also present in the semifinal of that tournament, where La Roja defeated France 2-1 to reach the final.

With that history on the table, FIFA once again trusted Vinčić for the World Cup final. The result was a new Spanish victory, this time by 1-0 against the National Team, allowing them to claim their second World Cup.

A decision difficult to justify

Although there is no rule preventing the appointment of a referee who has previously officiated several times for one of the finalists and that the statistics alone do not prove any irregularity, the choice is difficult to justify from the perspective of the image and transparency that a World Cup final should convey.

FIFA had other top-level referees who could take on the responsibility without carrying such a marked statistical background. However, it opted for a referee who had accumulated five consecutive matches without defeats for one of the involved teams and who had also officiated decisive matches for that same national team in recent competitions.

The problem does not necessarily lie in suggesting a supposed deliberate favoritism, but in avoiding any element that may cast doubt on the impartiality of an appointment. In a World Cup final, where every decision is scrutinized and the margin for controversy is minimal, the appearance of neutrality is also a fundamental value.