Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic will officiate Mexico's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash with Ecuador at the Mexico City Stadium on Tuesday, marking his third assignment at this tournament.

The 46-year-old arrives at the fixture with prior World Cup experience already under his belt. He oversaw Brazil's 1-1 draw with Morocco in New Jersey and Algeria's 2-1 victory over Jordan before being handed this all-Latin American tie.

A referee no stranger to the biggest stages

Vincic's credentials at elite level are beyond question. Most memorably, he took charge of the 2024 UEFA Champions League final at Wembley, where Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0. This past season, he also refereed the quarter-final second leg in which Bayern Munich edged out Real Madrid 4-3 in a breathless contest.

Chelsea supporters will know him from two contrasting occasions — the 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16, and the 3-0 win against Barcelona during the league phase.

Disciplinary record

That Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid encounter produced six yellow cards and two red cards under his watch, but such volatility is not representative of his broader approach. Across 27 matches since the start of the 2025/26 season, he has shown 106 yellow cards and five red cards — an average of roughly 3.9 bookings per game and one dismissal every five matches.

Mexico, co-hosts and Group A qualifiers under manager Javier Aguirre, will be backed by a passionate home crowd. Ecuador, who advanced as one of the top third-place finishers and arrive buoyed by a 2-1 win over Germany, will present a disciplined and unpredictable challenge. The winner earns a place in the Round of 16.