LONDON, England – Veteran English referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement after 16 seasons in the Premier League, ending a career that included officiating at domestic cup finals, European competitions and two FIFA World Cups.
Anthony Taylor, 47, confirmed he will step away from refereeing following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Okay News reports that his final assignment was the Round of 16 match between Portugal and eventual champions Spain, bringing his overall tally to 831 matches across English, European and international football.
During his career, Taylor officiated 432 Premier League games, handled the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals, and the 2015 League Cup final. He also spent 14 years on FIFA’s international referees list, representing England at the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, two European Championships and two FIFA Club World Cups.
Explaining his decision, Taylor said elite-level officiating had been an honour but described the pressure and public scrutiny as relentless. He added that the time was right to begin a new chapter after years of working under what he called constant expectations of perfection.
The referee has previously spoken about the abuse directed at match officials, recalling the hostility he faced from supporters at Budapest Airport after the 2023 UEFA Europa League final between Roma and Sevilla. He also revealed that his family no longer attended matches he officiated because of safety concerns and public criticism.
Taylor’s final Premier League match was West Ham United’s 3-0 victory over Leeds United on the last day of the 2025/26 season. Although the Premier League has no mandatory retirement age for referees, Taylor chose to step down while still among the competition’s most experienced officials.
