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One of England’s most famous referees is calling time on his long career after the 2026 World Cup
England referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from refereeing as the curtain falls on the 2026 World Cup, ending a career spanning more than two decades that has seen him officiate hundreds of matches at the highest domestic, continental and international levels.
Taylor’s last game came in the World Cup Round of 16, which pitted Spain against Portugal, and ended in Spain’s victory with Mikel Merino’s decisive stoppage-time goal sending Cristiano Ronaldo off to the tournament as La Roja continued on their way to the title.
Taylor is 47 years old and has made 831 career appearances, including 432 in the English Premier League over 16 seasons. He also officiated the 2024 Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
According to Opta’s statistics, Taylor is the third-most referees in Premier League history, behind only Mike Dean (560) and Martin Atkinson (462).
432 – Mike Dean (560) and Martin Atkinson (462) are the only referees to have overseen more Premier League games than Anthony Taylor.
Full time. pic.twitter.com/l1Y50MRIyj
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 21, 2026
Taylor said in his retirement announcement, according to the newspaper.The AthleticToday, Tuesday, “It’s been a great honor for me to referee at the highest levels, but the pressure is huge and the scrutiny doesn’t stop. “I feel it is the right time to leave and start a new chapter in my career.”
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my assistants Gary and Adam, my fellow referees and everyone who has worked in football and supported me over the years. Most importantly, thank you to my family and friends for their continued support despite the great sacrifices this profession requires.”
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Taylor has taken part in managing two World Cup matches, the first in Qatar 2022 and the second in the last tournament. He also played matches in the European Cup of Nations in 2020 and 2024.
His career highlights also included officiating the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup Finals, the 2015 FA League Cup Final as well as the 2018 Premier League Play-Off Final.
For his part, Howard Webb, chairman of the England Professional Referees Committee, praised Taylor’s career, saying: “He has proven over many years that he is one of the best and most successful referees that English football has produced.
He added: “His professionalism, in addition to his continued support for his colleagues and emerging referees, reflects his unique personality and his great contribution to the development of the English refereeing system.”
