Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has announced his immediate retirement from officiating after a 20-year career that included 831 matches.
The 47-year-old’s final match was Spain’s 1-0 win over Portugal in the World Cup round of 16 on July 6. Taylor began refereeing after working as a prison officer and joined the Football League list ahead of the 2006-07 season before promotion to the Premier League in 2010.
Over his career he officiated 668 professional matches in England, including 432 Premier League fixtures, and took charge of every major domestic cup final. Internationally he spent 14 years on FIFA’s list and handled 163 matches, including the 2022 World Cup, Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.
Taylor said officiating at the elite level had been an immense privilege but added that the pressure and scrutiny had become too intense. Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Pro Ref, praised Taylor as a fantastic servant to football and thanked him for his contribution.
