Breaking: Anthony Taylor retires from professional refereeing after 20-year career

Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from professional refereeing, bringing the curtain down on a distinguished career spanning 20 years.

The 47-year-old stepped down with immediate effect after officiating his final match in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Spain defeated Portugal 1-0 on July 6.

Taylor retires as one of England’s most experienced match officials, having overseen 831 professional matches during his career, including 432 Premier League games across 16 seasons.

He also officiated every major domestic English cup final, including the 2015 League Cup final, the 2015 Community Shield, the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals and the 2018 Championship play-off final.

On the international stage, Taylor spent 14 years on the FIFA international list, taking charge of 163 matches, including the 2022 and 2026 FIFA World Cups, Euro 2020, Euro 2024, the 2020 UEFA Super Cup, the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup final and the 2023 UEFA Europa League final.

Announcing his retirement, 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.”

He added: “I want to express my deepest gratitude to my two assistants Gary and Adam, my refereeing colleagues and everyone connected with the game for all their support over the years.

“Most importantly, I want to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support throughout the immense sacrifices this career has demanded.”

Taylor’s career included officiating some of football’s biggest matches but was also marked by periods of intense public scrutiny, including abuse directed at him and his family following the 2023 UEFA Europa League final.

Paying tribute to the retiring official, Pro Ref Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb described Taylor as one of the finest referees produced by English football.

Webb said: “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 including Portugal against Spain in this summer’s World Cup which ultimately capped off an outstanding career.”

He added: “He’s consistently demonstrated over a sustained period why he is one of the best and most successful officials that English football has ever produced, but it’s not just his on-field achievements that see him as a role model to many.

The professionalism he’s shown and the support for his colleagues and the next generation of officials looking to follow in his footsteps is testament to his character.”

Webb concluded: “We thank him for his immense contribution to the game and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.”

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖