English referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from officiating with immediate effect, bringing an end to a 20-year career that saw him take charge of 831 matches.
The 47-year-old’s final match was Spain’s 1-0 victory over Portugal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 on July 6.
Taylor, who worked as a prison officer before becoming a full-time referee, joined the Football League list at the beginning of the 2006/07 season before earning promotion to the Premier League in 2010.
During his time in the top flight, he officiated 432 Premier League matches and took charge of every major domestic final, including the FA Cup final, League Cup final and Community Shield.
Explaining his decision to step away, Taylor said the demands of elite refereeing had influenced his decision.
“Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant.”
“The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career.”
Born in Wythenshawe, Taylor spent 14 years on FIFA’s international referees list and handled 163 international matches.
He was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup as well as the 2020 and 2024 European Championships, while also being considered as a possible referee for the 2022 World Cup final before being ruled out due to political tensions between England and Argentina.
Taylor’s career included several historic moments. He became the first referee since 1901 to officiate two FA Cup finals when he handled Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea in 2020, having also refereed the 2017 final between the same teams.
He also gained praise for his handling of the Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland, which was suspended after Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during the game.
On the European stage, Taylor officiated several major fixtures, including the 2020 UEFA Super Cup final, the 2021 Nations League final and the 2023 Europa League final between Sevilla and Roma.
Despite his achievements, Taylor also faced intense criticism during his career. Following Roma’s defeat to Sevilla in the 2023 Europa League final, manager José Mourinho labelled him a “disgrace” and later confronted him in a car park, an incident that resulted in Mourinho receiving a four-match ban.
Taylor and his family were later subjected to abuse from angry supporters at Budapest Airport, an experience he described as one of the worst moments of his career.
After two decades at the highest level, Taylor now leaves refereeing having overseen some of football’s biggest matches in both domestic and international competitions.
