Refereeing World: Premio Campanati 2026

The presentation ceremony for the 2026 Premio Giulio Campanati will take place on Thursday at San Siro, ahead of the UEFA Nations League match Italy-France. The award, organised by the “Associazione Amici di Giulio Campanati” and the Milan “Umberto Meazza-Giulio Campanati” AIA branch, will be presented to Slavko Vincic, the Slovenian official voted by a qualified panel as the best international referee at the 2026 World Cup. On the evening prior to the match Italy-France, Vincic will hold a technical referee meeting at the Banco BPM auditorium in Via Massaua, Milan. The experienced Slovenian referee had already officiated the 2022 Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers and the 2024 Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid. After refereeing two matches in the group stage and the Round of 32 clash between Mexico and Ecuador, he authoritatively handled the challenging World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, through which he became the first Slovenian referee to be appointed for the showpiece match of a World Cup. The Campanati award was established for the first time on the occasion of the 2014 World Cup to commemorate the Presidentissimo Giulio Campanati, a former international referee from 1956 to 1966, head of the AIA from 1972 to 1990 and UEFA Referees Committee member from 1968 to 1992, who passed away in October 2011.