Premier League referee Anthony Taylor is retiring after 16 years in England's top flight, concluding his career at the end of the World Cup. The 47-year-old officiated 831 games throughout his career, with his final match being the World Cup last-16 clash between Portugal and Spain. Taylor refereed in major domestic cup finals, including the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals, and officiated 432 Premier League matches.

Taylor also served 14 years on the FIFA international list and was selected for two World Cups. He cited the "intense" pressure and "constant" scrutiny as reasons for his departure. In a statement, he expressed that "the time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career."

The referee faced public targeting by Roma fans in 2023 after criticism from then-manager Jose Mourinho. Taylor had previously revealed that his family stopped attending his matches due to the "expectation of perfection" and admitted to considering quitting multiple times.