Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic has been appointed to take charge of the Jordan vs Algeria fixture in Group J of FIFA World Cup 2026, with both sides desperate to claim their first points of the tournament in San Francisco.

Jordan suffered a 3-1 defeat to Austria in their opening match, a result made all the more significant by the fact they are first-time World Cup participants. Algeria, meanwhile, were on the wrong end of a commanding performance from Argentina — and Lionel Messi in particular — as the Desert Foxes fell 3-0 in their Group J opener.

An experienced official for a high-stakes fixture

Vincic, 46, brings considerable pedigree to this assignment. He is joined by compatriots Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic as assistant referees, while Jamaica's Oshane Nation serves as the fourth official and Caleb Wales, from Trinidad and Tobago, is the reserve assistant referee.

The Slovenian has already officiated at this tournament, handling Brazil's 1-1 draw with Morocco in New Jersey — the same venue that will host the World Cup final on July 19.

Vincic's most celebrated appointment came in the 2024 UEFA Champions League final at Wembley, where he oversaw Real Madrid's 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund. He also refereed Bayern Munich's dramatic 4-3 win over Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final last season.

Chelsea supporters will recognise him too — he took charge of their last-16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, which they lost 3-0, as well as their 3-0 league-phase win over Barcelona.

Vincic's disciplinary record

Though he showed six yellow cards and two red cards during Bayern Munich's quarter-final win over Real Madrid, that match was an outlier. Across the 27 games he has refereed since the start of the 2025/26 season, Vincic has issued 106 bookings and five dismissals — an average of fewer than four yellows per match and a red card roughly every five games.

What both teams need

For Jordan, this match represents a chance to register a historic first World Cup point. However, with reigning champions Argentina looming in their next fixture, only a win may truly suffice. Algeria, who reached the knockout rounds at their previous World Cup appearance in 2014, are targeting a repeat of that feat and must respond after their opening-game loss.