'Pressure is intense and scrutiny constant' - referee Taylor retires
Summary
Referee Anthony Taylor has retired from professional football refereeing after a 20-year career that included over 800 matches. He officiated major games in England and internationally, including the World Cup and European Championships, and cited the intense pressure and constant scrutiny as reasons for his decision.Key Facts
- Anthony Taylor retired immediately at age 47 after refereeing 831 matches over 20 years.
- His final game was the Spain vs. Portugal World Cup last 16 match on 6 July 2026.
- Taylor started in the Football League in 2006 and Premier League in 2010, officiating 432 top division matches.
- He refereed every major English domestic cup final and many important European and international matches.
- Taylor was on FIFA’s list of referees for 14 years and handled 163 international games.
- He was shortlisted for the 2022 World Cup final, but excluded due to political tensions involving England.
- Taylor faced serious abuse after the 2023 Europa League final but was supported by UEFA officials.
- Following his retirement, the English refereeing body merged officials into one group for the 2026-27 season.
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