Ex-Premier League Ref Taylor Takes Over As Turkish Refereeing Chief

Taylor appointed chairman of Turkish FA's

Anthony Taylor appointed Turkish chief of refereeing after retiring last month following 22-year career spanning 831 matches. 47-year-old's final game was Portugal vs Spain at 2026 World Cup.

Anthony Taylor joins TFF as refereeing chairman amid Turkish betting scandal... 

Former Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has been named chairman of the Turkish Football Federation's Central Referee Board.

The TFF announced the appointment on Tuesday, coming after the recruitment of former Besiktas boss Sergen Yalcin as national team coach.

The 47-year-old called time on his career last month after 22 years officiating 831 games, with his final appointment being the Round of 16 clash between Portugal and Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 48-year-old joined the TFF as Elite Referee Director in the summer shortly after announcing his retirement from officiating. In his new role as chairman of the Central Referee Board, the Englishman will replace Ferhat Gundogdu, who was arrested alongside the vice-chairman and five other individuals on charges of fraud in refereeing exams, intimidation and manipulating referee appointments.

Anthony Taylor, Merkez Hakem Kurulu'nun yeni başkanı oldu. https://t.co/aa5olHkqj5

— Boşuna Tıklama (@bosunatiklama) October 20, 2026

Turkish football has been engulfed in a major betting and match-fixing scandal since late 2025, when 149 officials were suspended. Since then, more than 1,000 players have been sanctioned, 17 senior club officials have been detained, and 448 club officials have been referred to the federation's disciplinary board for betting while in office.