Anthony Taylor to referee Uzbekistan vs Colombia in World Cup 2026 Group K

Anthony Taylor has been appointed referee for the World Cup 2026 Group K fixture between Uzbekistan and Colombia at Mexico City Stadium, with both sides capable of moving to the top of the group with a victory.

The match carries added significance after group favourites Portugal were held to a draw by DR Congo, leaving the standings wide open heading into this contest.

Taylor is one of the most experienced officials in English football, having refereed 432 Premier League matches across his career. This will be his second World Cup appearance, following two assignments at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, and he has also taken charge of 42 Champions League games.

Over 550 career matches, Taylor has issued 1,997 yellow cards at an average of 3.63 per game — marginally above the typical referee rate — though his red card record tells a different story. He has shown just 87 red cards at a rate of 0.16 per game, placing him among the more lenient officials at this level.

Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn will serve as Taylor’s assistant referees on the touchlines. Costa Rican officials Juan Gabriel Calderón and Juan Carlos Mora take the roles of fourth official and reserve assistant referee respectively.

Croatia’s Ivan Bebek heads the VAR operation for the match, with fellow Premier League referee Jared Gillett supporting him in the video review room.