Anthony Taylor's Retirement
Veteran Referee Anthony Taylor Ends Storied 20-Year Career Officiating Top-Flight Matches
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Taylor also refereed the 2023 Europa League Final, extending his record of officiating major European finals.
2
In 2020, Taylor became the first referee since 1901 to take charge of two FA Cup finals (Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea), marking a historic achievement in the competition’s modern era.
3
During the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Taylor officiated two matches, including Spain vs. Portugal in the last-16 and a group-stage game between Senegal and Iraq.
4
Earlier in his international duties, Taylor also presided over the 2015 Community Shield and the 2018 Championship play-off final, adding to his portfolio of notable finals.
Anthony Taylor, one of England's most prominent referees, has retired from elite officiating with immediate effect after a 20-year career spanning 831 matches, according to Evening Standard. The 47-year-old blew the whistle on his final game on July 6 — Spain's 1-0 World Cup last-16 win over Portugal — closing a career that took him from a prison officer in Wythenshawe to the world's biggest stages.
Taylor officiated 432 Premier League matches after earning promotion to the top flight in 2010, Yahoo Sports reported. He cited intense pressure and constant scrutiny as key reasons for his decision, saying the time is right to move to the next chapter of his career.
From Prison Officer to World Cup Referee
Before becoming a referee, Taylor worked as a prison officer in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester. He climbed through the refereeing ranks quickly, reaching the Premier League in 2010. Within a few years, he was on FIFA's international list — a status he held for 14 years, according to Evening Standard.
Taylor represented England at two World Cups: 2022 in Qatar and 2026 in the United States. At the 2026 tournament, he took charge of two matches — a group-stage game between Senegal and Iraq and the last-16 clash between Spain and Portugal, Yahoo Sports CA reported. That final game, on July 6, became the last of his career.
A Record of Finals Few Referees Can Match
Taylor built one of the most impressive finals records in English refereeing history. He took charge of the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals, a League Cup final, the 2015 Community Shield, and the 2018 Championship play-off final. In 2020, he became the first referee since 1901 to officiate two FA Cup finals, a historic landmark in the competition, MyNewsGh reported.
His reach extended to Europe as well. Taylor refereed the 2023 Europa League Final, adding a major continental final to his résumé. Across all competitions, he officiated more than 668 professional domestic games, according to Yahoo Sports UK.
2022 World Cup Final Snub Noted in Tributes
Taylor was shortlisted to referee the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar. He was not selected, however, due to political tensions involving the two finalists, Argentina and France. The decision was widely seen as unjust, and tributes to Taylor this week made a point of noting it, according to Evening Standard.
Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Professional Referee Organisation (Pro Ref), praised Taylor as a fantastic servant to the game on both the domestic and international stage. Webb highlighted Taylor's performance in the Spain versus Portugal match as a fitting way to end a long and distinguished career.
Pressure and Scrutiny Drove the Final Decision
Taylor was direct about why he is stepping away now. He said the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant at the elite level. For a referee, every decision is examined in real time by millions of fans, pundits, and TV cameras. Taylor said the time is simply right to move on.
His last Premier League game was West Ham versus Leeds on May 24. After that, he had one final World Cup assignment before drawing the curtain on a career that covered 831 matches, multiple domestic finals, and two World Cups, MyNewsGh reported.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
39
Articles
164
Reach
203
A
AnonymousAuthor