Anthony Taylor's World Cup role puts Spain‑Portugal tie in focus

English referee Anthony Taylor will take charge of the World Cup round‑of‑16 match between Portugal and Spain in Dallas on July 6. The appointment brings a veteran official with Premier League experience since 2010‑11 and FIFA status since 2013 to a high‑stakes Iberian tie.

The fixture is the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the first knockout encounter for the two European powerhouses in the tournament. The game will be played at the Dallas stadium, with the winner advancing to the quarter‑finals.

Taylor will be assisted by fellow English officials Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn. German officials Felix Zwayer and Robert Kempter will serve as fourth official and reserve assistant referee respectively.

This will be Taylor’s third World Cup match of the competition. He previously refereed Uzbekistan against Colombia and Senegal against Iraq earlier in the tournament.

Taylor’s recent history with Spain includes the Euro 2024 quarter‑final, where he declined to award a handball penalty for Marc Cucurella against Germany—a decision later criticised by UEFA’s Referees Committee. Spain ultimately won that match 2‑1 after Mikel Merino scored in extra time.

A similar controversy arose in the 2021 Nations League final, where Taylor allowed Kylian Mbappé’s decisive goal despite an initial offside, judging that Eric García’s touch reset play. France secured a 2‑1 victory in that encounter.

His earlier precedent with Portugal dates back to Euro 2020, when the Portuguese side suffered a 2‑4 defeat to Germany in the group stage. That match remains a reference point for Taylor’s familiarity with the teams.