Referee Anthony Taylor has revealed that he has often considered stepping away from officiating due to ongoing abuse, explaining that his family has stopped attending major matches after they experienced harassment from Roma fans at an airport.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Taylor discussed the “archaic” culture he believes exists within the sport.
At 46, Taylor has officiated the FA Cup final twice, in 2017 and 2020, and has been on FIFA’s list of referees for over ten years.
After being selected as one of six English officials for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he was also appointed to officiate the 2023 Europa League final in Budapest, where Sevilla faced Roma.
The match turned contentious, with Sevilla ultimately defeating Roma in a penalty shootout, during which Taylor issued 13 yellow cards. Following the game, he was met with hostile fans at the airport on his way home.
Despite being regarded as one of the Premier League’s top referees, Taylor argues that he and his fellow officials have become easy targets for criticism, especially after Chelsea’s dramatic win against Liverpool the previous weekend.
When asked if he has thought about quitting refereeing, Taylor responded, “There have definitely been moments—I’m sure others share this feeling—where you wonder, ‘Is it worth it?’ especially when you feel the criticism is completely unfair.”
He added, “We have this outdated tactic of ‘let’s bombard the referee or the fourth official in hopes of swaying a decision.’
After the Europa League final, a video surfaced showing the incident at Budapest Airport, where a chair and drinks were thrown at him and his group as they navigated through a crowd of Roma fans, necessitating intervention from airport security.
Taylor shared that his family has since refrained from attending significant matches.
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“That was undoubtedly the most challenging experience I’ve faced regarding abuse,” he noted. “It was particularly troubling because I was with my family, and it underscores how people’s behavior affects others. It makes you reconsider whether traveling with them was a mistake in the first place.”
When asked if this meant his family would skip high-profile matches in the future, Taylor confirmed, “Absolutely—they haven’t attended any since.”