Anthony Taylor announces his retirement from elite refereeing after 831 games, posting a farewell following the 2026 World Cup.
The 47 year old’s last game was the last 16 fixture with Spain playing out a 1-0 victory against Portugal on the 6th of July.
In October 2025, Anthony Taylor spoke to BBC Sport about the challenges of refereeing, VAR, abuse, mental health and the impact it’s all had on his family.
He again spoke of the pressure and scrutiny in his statement this afternoon…
🚨 BREAKING: Anthony Taylor announces retirement from refereeing. Englishman officiated 831 games across 2 decades (including every domestic cup final) & bows out aged 47 after taking charge of #Portugal vs #Spain in last-16 of #FIFAWorldCup @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/EW75W55pAy
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 21, 2026
A statement on the englandfootball.com website read:
Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from elite refereeing after a distinguished career spanning more than two decades and 831 matches.
One of England’s most accomplished officials, the 47-year-old officiated 668 matches in the professional game in this country. He brings the curtain down on his career following his final appointment – the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 tie between Portugal and Spain in the United States.
Over 16 Premier League seasons, Taylor took charge of 432 top-flight matches and officiated every major domestic cup final. His honours include the FA Cup finals in 2017 and 2020, the 2015 League Cup final, the 2015 Community Shield and the 2018 Championship play-off final.
Taylor also enjoyed an outstanding international career, spending 14 years on the FIFA International List. During that time, he 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).
Across the 163 international matches he took charge of, Taylor was entrusted with some of world football’s biggest fixtures, including the 2020 UEFA Super Cup, the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup final, the 2023 UEFA Europa League final and the 2024 UEFA Champions League semi-final.
Before becoming one of Europe’s leading referees, Taylor served as an Additional Assistant Referee at several of UEFA’s showpiece occasions, including the 2014 UEFA Super Cup, the 2015 UEFA Europa League final and the finals of both the 2016 UEFA Champions League and UEFA European Championships.
Looking back on his career, Taylor said: “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.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to my two assistants Gary and Adam, my refereeing colleagues and everyone connected with the game for all their support over the years. Most importantly, I want to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support throughout the immense sacrifices this career has demanded.”
Howard Webb, Chief Refereeing Officer at Pro Ref, said: “Anthony has been a fantastic servant to the game over many years, both domestically and on the international stage. He has been repeatedly trusted to officiate in the biggest games including Portugal against Spain in this summer’s World Cup which ultimately capped off an outstanding career.
“He’s consistently demonstrated over a sustained period why he is one of the best and most successful officials that English football has ever produced, but it’s not just his on-field achievements that see him as a role model to many. The professionalism he’s shown and the support for his colleagues and the next generation of officials looking to follow in his footsteps is testament to his character.
“We thank him for his immense contribution to the game and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.”
Anthony Taylor talks refereeing, VAR, abuse, mental health and impact it’s had on his family
FA Refereeing posted a tweet following the announcement, writing: “After he confirmed his retirement, everyone at FA Refereeing would like to congratulate Anthony Taylor on a distinguished career spanning more than two decades and 831 matches! 👏
“Enjoy your retirement, Anthony! 🙌”
Grassroots football referee Adam Higgins said via social media: “Really surprised that Anthony Taylor has decided called time his on-field career, ending on a high at the World Cup.
“He may have divided opinion with fans but there’s no doubting he’s one of England’s finest ever referees.
“The Premier League will hugely miss his vast experience.”
After he confirmed his retirement, everyone at FA Refereeing would like to congratulate Anthony Taylor on a distinguished career spanning more than two decades and 831 matches! 👏
Enjoy your retirement, Anthony! 🙌
➡️ https://t.co/Sw4QFU54dG pic.twitter.com/Fa7eaQY89R
— FA Refereeing (@FARefereeing) July 21, 2026
