Former Top Referee Anthony Taylor Takes New Role in Turkish Football Shake-Up

(Anthony Taylor. Photo by Kenya News Centre)

Former international football referee Anthony Taylor has commenced a consultancy position with the Turkish Football Federation less than two weeks after announcing his retirement from elite refereeing.

Taylor concluded a 24-year refereeing career following the 2026 World Cup, where he officiated three matches, with his final assignment being Spain’s 1-0 victory over Portugal in the round of 16.

The 47-year-old has now accepted the role of Director of Elite Refereeing within the Turkish Football Federation, a position focused on the strategic and technical advancement of match officials in Turkey.

Taylor’s appointment comes as the Federation attempts to rebuild its reputation following a significant betting scandal uncovered in October 2025, which revealed that 152 of the federation’s 371 active referees with betting accounts had engaged in gambling on matches in violation of FIFA and UEFA regulations.

The federation responded to the scandal by announcing plans for a comprehensive nationwide referee training initiative.

In his new capacity, Taylor will oversee the development of elite match officials and strengthen the refereeing programme in alignment with UEFA and FIFA standards.

His experience encompasses 16 seasons in the Premier League accumulating 433 matches along with two FA Cup final appointments and one Europa League final.

He also officiated at the Club World Cup and Nations League during his career and gained FIFA referee status in 2013.