Veteran English referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from elite football officiating, bringing to an end a remarkable career that spanned more than two decades and saw him oversee 831 matches at the highest level.
The 47-year-old officially bowed out after handling the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash between Portugal and Spain in the United States, his final assignment on the international stage.
In a statement, Taylor described officiating at the highest level as a great honour but admitted the demands of the profession had influenced his decision to step away.
He said it had been a privilege to officiate top-level football, adding that the constant pressure and intense scrutiny made it the right time to begin a new chapter in his career.
Taylor spent 16 seasons as a Premier League referee, taking charge of 432 top-flight matches.
During that period, he officiated several of England’s biggest domestic fixtures, including the FA Cup finals in 2017 and 2020, the League Cup final in 2015, the Community Shield in 2015, and the Championship play-off final in 2018.
Widely respected as one of England’s finest match officials, Taylor also enjoyed an outstanding international career.
He served on FIFA’s International Referees List for 14 years and officiated at two FIFA World Cups (2022 and 2026), two UEFA European Championships (2020 and 2024), and two FIFA Club World Cups (2022 and 2025), cementing his place among the game’s most accomplished referees.
