Taylor retires after 20-year refereeing career

Anthony Taylor has retired from refereeing with immediate effect after a 20-year career spanning 831 matches, with his final game being Spain’s 1-0 World Cup last-16 win over Portugal on 6 July and his last Premier League duty coming in the West Ham versus Leeds fixture on 24 May. A former prison officer from Wythenshawe, Taylor rose to the Premier League in 2010, going on to officiate 432 top-flight matches and multiple domestic finals including the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals and a League Cup final, while also serving 14 years on FIFA’s list and representing England at the 2022 and 2026 World Cups. He was shortlisted for the 2022 World Cup final but, due to political tensions with the finalists, was not selected, a decision noted in tributes to his long career. Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Pro Ref, praised Taylor as a fantastic servant to the game on both domestic and international stages, highlighting his role in big matches such as Portugal against Spain in the recent World Cup. Taylor cited the immense pressure and constant scrutiny of elite refereeing, saying the time is right to move on to the next chapter of his career. His retirement ends a career marked by rapid ascent, international assignments, and recognition for handling high-stakes matches with professionalism.