Anthony Taylor has officially retired as a professional referee, ending a career that lasted more than 20 years.
On 22 July 2026 GMT+7, Anthony Taylor, the renowned English referee, announced his official retirement from professional refereeing at age 47, concluding a career spanning over two decades.
Previously, Anthony Taylor worked as a prison officer before joining the Football League referees list for the first time in the 2006-07 season. He was promoted to officiate Premier League matches in 2010, having refereed a total of 831 games throughout his career. He also officiated several domestic cup finals. His final match was the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 game between Portugal and Spain.
Anthony Taylor stated, "Refereeing at the highest level is a great responsibility and comes with immense pressure, which means referees must always be under scrutiny. It is now time for me to step away from this role. I look forward to the next chapter in my career."