FIFA names Slovenian officials for Morocco-Brazil World Cup opener

FIFA has announced the refereeing team for the highly anticipated World Cup clash between Morocco and Brazil, which will mark the Atlas Lions' opening match of the 2026 tournament on Saturday.

The governing body has appointed experienced Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić, 46, to officiate the encounter. He will be assisted by fellow Slovenians Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič, while FIFA has yet to reveal the identity of the video assistant referee (VAR).

Vinčić is no stranger to high-profile fixtures. Earlier this year, he took charge of Bayern Munich’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, a thrilling encounter that ended in a 4-3 victory for the German side.

The Slovenian official also refereed the decisive World Cup playoff between Sweden and Poland, which Sweden won 3-2.