Referee Anthony Taylor retires, cites 'intense pressure' of the job

Anthony Taylor has called time on his refereeing career with immediate effect, walking away after two decades at the elite level. The 47-year-old, who officiated his final match on July 6 — Spain’s 1-0 World Cup last-16 win over Portugal — said the constant scrutiny and pressure had taken its toll. Taylor started as a prison officer before entering the Football League list for the 2006-07 season. He was promoted to the Premier League in 2010 and went on to take charge of 432 top-flight games, refereeing every major domestic cup final. In total, he handled 668 professional matches in England. “Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant,” Taylor said. “The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career.” A FIFA-listed official for 14 years, Taylor worked 163 international matches, including the 2022 World Cup and the European Championships in 2020 and 2024. He was in contention to referee the 2022 World Cup final but was passed over due to political sensitivities involving England and eventual champions Argentina. Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Pro Ref, paid tribute: “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. We thank him for his immense contribution and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.” Taylor’s retirement comes shortly after the merger of England’s refereeing bodies into a single professional group for the 2026-27 season, a move designed to create more opportunities for emerging officials like Farai Hallam and Tom Kirk.