Anthony Taylor Announces Retirement from Elite Refereeing
A Distinguished Career Concludes
Anthony Taylor, a prominent referee from Wythenshawe, has announced his immediate retirement from officiating after a career spanning two decades. His final match was the World Cup last-16 tie, which saw Spain defeat Portugal 1-0. Taylor, who was a prison officer before becoming a professional referee, joined the Football League list at the start of the 2006-07 season.
He was promoted to the Premier League in 2010, where he oversaw 432 top-flight matches and officiated every major domestic cup final. Throughout his career, Taylor officiated a total of 831 matches, including 668 professional games in England and 163 international matches. He was also on Fifa’s list of officials for 14 years, participating in the 2022 World Cup, as well as the Euros in 2020 and 2024.
Reflecting on his decision, Taylor stated that officiating at the elite level was an immense privilege, but acknowledged the intense pressure and constant scrutiny associated with the role. He expressed that the time was right to step aside and transition to the next phase of his career, thanking his assistants, colleagues, and family for their support.
Challenges and Recognition
Taylor’s career included officiating significant matches such as the 2015 EFL Cup final. He also became the first referee since 1901 to take charge of two FA Cup finals, overseeing Arsenal’s 2-1 victories against Chelsea in both 2017 and 2020. Other notable appointments included the 2015 Community Shield and the 2018 Championship play-off final.
Internationally, Taylor was entrusted with major fixtures, including the 2020 Uefa Super Cup, the 2021 Nations League final, and the 2023 Europa League final. He received praise for his handling of the Euro 2020 game between Denmark and Finland, which was halted after Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest.
However, Taylor also faced significant abuse, particularly after the 2023 Europa League final, where Sevilla defeated Roma on penalties. Following the match, Roma manager Jose Mourinho confronted Taylor in a car park, an incident that led to a four-match ban for Mourinho. Taylor and his family were also subjected to verbal abuse from fans at Budapest Airport.
Impact and Future of Refereeing
In an interview in October 2025, Taylor described the airport incident as the worst situation he had encountered in terms of abuse, highlighting the impact of such behaviour on officials and their families. He also spoke about the increasing challenge of maintaining fitness levels required for elite officiating at his age.
Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Pro Ref, praised Taylor as a fantastic servant to the game, both domestically and internationally. Webb highlighted Taylor’s consistent demonstration of being one of English football’s best officials and a role model for his professionalism and support for colleagues and future generations of referees.
Taylor’s retirement creates a vacancy at the top tier of English refereeing. Pro Ref, formerly known PGMO, has merged its officials into a single group for the 2026-27 season. This new professional referee group, which will serve the Premier League and Championship, aims to provide greater opportunities for emerging officials such as Farai Hallam and Tom Kirk.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
