AFCON 2025
Veteran English referee Anthony Taylor has announced his immediate retirement from professional refereeing, bringing an end to a distinguished 20-year career in football.
The 47-year-old officiated his final match on July 6, overseeing Spain’s 1-0 victory over Portugal in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Taylor, who worked as a prison officer before becoming a full-time referee, joined the Football League referees’ list ahead of the 2006/07 season before earning promotion to the Premier League in 2010.
Over the course of his career, he officiated 668 professional matches in England, including 432 Premier League games, while also taking charge of every major domestic cup final.
Reflecting on his decision, Taylor admitted that the demands of elite officiating had taken their toll.
“Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant,” Taylor said.
“The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career.”
Taylor also built an impressive international résumé during his 14 years as a FIFA-listed referee. He officiated at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2020, UEFA Euro 2024 and handled 163 international fixtures throughout his career.
Although he was shortlisted to referee the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, he was ultimately overlooked due to political considerations involving finalists Argentina.
Among his most notable appointments were the 2015 EFL Cup final, the FA Cup finals in 2017 and 2020, the 2015 FA Community Shield, the 2018 Championship play-off final, the 2020 UEFA Super Cup, the 2021 UEFA Nations League final and the 2023 UEFA Europa League final.
Taylor was widely praised for his calm and compassionate handling of Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland after Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch following a cardiac arrest.
However, his career was not without controversy. Following the 2023 UEFA Europa League final between Sevilla and AS Roma, then-Roma manager José Mourinho publicly criticised Taylor, calling him “a disgrace” before confronting him in a car park after the match. Mourinho was later handed a four-match suspension for the incident.
Taylor and his family were also subjected to abuse from supporters at Budapest Airport in the aftermath of that final.
Paying tribute to the veteran official, Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief refereeing officer Howard Webb praised Taylor’s remarkable service to the game.
“Anthony has been a fantastic servant to football over many years, both domestically and on the international stage,” Webb said.
“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 retires as one of England’s most experienced referees, leaving behind a legacy that includes some of football’s biggest domestic and international fixtures.
