Veteran Premier League referee, Anthony Taylor, has announced his immediate retirement from officiating, bringing an end to a distinguished 20-year career marked by domestic and international success.
The 47-year-old’s final assignment was Spain’s 1-0 victory over Portugal in the FIFA World Cup round of 16 on July 6, concluding a career that saw him oversee 831 matches.
Before becoming a full-time referee, Taylor worked as a prison officer. He joined the Football League referees’ list at the start of the 2006-07 season and earned promotion to the Premier League in 2010.
He went on to officiate 432 Premier League matches and handled every major domestic cup final. Overall, he refereed 668 professional matches in England and 163 international fixtures during his career.
Reflecting on his decision to retire, Taylor said, “Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant.
“The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career.”
A FIFA-listed referee for 14 years, Taylor officiated at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championships in 2020 and 2024.
Although he was shortlisted for the 2022 World Cup final, he was overlooked because of political tensions involving England and finalists Argentina.
Chief refereeing officer of Pro Ref, Howard Webb, paid tribute to Taylor’s contribution to the game.
“Anthony has been a fantastic servant to the game over many years, both domestically and on the international stage.
“He has been repeatedly trusted to officiate in the biggest games.
“We thank him for his immense contribution to the game and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.”
Taylor officiated the 2015 EFL Cup final, the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals, becoming the first referee since 1901 to oversee two FA Cup finals, as well as the 2015 Community Shield and the 2018 Championship play-off final.
He also earned widespread praise for his calm handling of the Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland after Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch following a cardiac arrest.
On the international stage, Taylor refereed the 2020 UEFA Super Cup final, the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, the 2023 Europa League final, and matches at the FIFA Club World Cups in 2022 and 2025.
The Europa League final in 2023 proved one of the most difficult moments of his career. After Sevilla defeated Roma on penalties, then-Roma manager Jose Mourinho labelled Taylor a “disgrace” twice during his post-match press conference before confronting him in a car park, an incident that resulted in Mourinho receiving a four-match ban.
Taylor and his family were later subjected to abuse from fans at Budapest Airport.
Speaking to BBC Sport in October 2025, Taylor described the aftermath as the toughest experience of his career.
“That’s the worst situation I’ve dealt with in terms of abuse,” Taylor said.
“Not only because I was travelling with family members at the time, but it also highlights the impact of people’s behaviour on others. Even in a match like that, where there was actually no major mistakes in the game.”
He also hinted at retirement during that interview, citing the physical demands of elite officiating.
“I’m 47 next week, so that’s quite old for somebody to be operating at this level, running around after people a lot younger than you,” Taylor said.
“It’s much more of a challenge now to maintain the levels of fitness and to rest and recover.”
Taylor’s departure leaves a significant vacancy in English refereeing as Pro Ref begins the 2026-27 season with a newly unified professional referee group serving both the Premier League and Championship.
The restructuring is expected to provide more opportunities for emerging officials, including Farai Hallam and Tom Kirk.
