Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from refereeing after a career spanning 16 Premier League seasons and more than 660 professional matches.
The 47-year-old's final match came at the 2026 World Cup, where he oversaw Spain's 1-0 victory over Portugal in the round of 16. He retires after officiating 432 Premier League games, as well as two World Cups and two European Championships.
Taylor began refereeing in the Football League in 2006 before making his Premier League debut four years later. He quickly became one of the FA's leading officials and was appointed to FIFA's international list in 2013.
He also oversaw the 2015 League Cup final, the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals, the 2021 UEFA Nations League final between France and Spain and the 2023 Europa League final, where Sevilla beat Roma on penalties.
Anthony Taylor has called time on his career -- his last assignment was Spain's 1-0 World Cup win over Portugal. Photo by Torbjorn Tande/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images Taylor was in the middle when Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 match against Finland, immediately stopping play and allowing medical staff to treat the midfielder.
"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," Taylor said.
"I want to express my deepest gratitude to my two assistants Gary [Beswick] and Adam [Nunn], 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."
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Howard Webb, who leads the organisation ProRef, 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."