Anthony Taylor is today set to referee the highest-profile game of his World Cup career, overseeing Spain and Portugal’s round-of-16 clash in Texas. Officiating at his second men’s World Cup, the Englishman will be taking charge of his first ever knockout tie at the tournament.

In the only all-European matchup of the last 16, Spain and Portugal meet at Dallas’s AT&T Stadium at 3:00 p.m. ET/12 noon PT, with the winner progressing to a quarterfinal against Belgium or co-hosts the United States.

No WC knockout experience - but plenty elsewhere

Taylor has so far refereed two games at this summer’s finals in North America. Most recently, the 47-year-old helmed Senegal’s 5-0 win over Iraq in Group I - a clash that saw him issue his first ever World Cup red card.

With only 13 minutes on the clock, Taylor opted to dismiss Iraqi’s Rebin Sulaka after a video review, deeming that the defender had denied Sadio Mané a scoring opportunity by fouling the Senegal forward as he bore down on goal.

While Taylor has never previously refereed a single-elimination game at the World Cup, his resumé features plenty of knockout experience in other competitions. Notably, his six matches at the European Championship include Spain’s 2-1 quarterfinal win over hosts Germany in 2024. Three years earlier, he also oversaw Italy’s 2-1 last-16 victory over Austria.

In European club soccer, meanwhile, Taylor has made 42 appearances in the Champions League since his 2016 debut, among them seven knockout games. He was chosen for the semifinals in 2024, whistling Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 first-leg win over Paris Saint-Germain. A year earlier, the Manchester native had also refereed the final of the UEFA Europa League, the continent’s second-tier club competition.

Anthony Taylor’s World Cup career so far:

2022:

• Group stage: South Korea 2-3 Ghana (4 yellow cards, 0 red cards)
• Group stage: Croatia 0-0 Belgium (1 yellow card, 0 red cards)

2026:

• Group stage: Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia (2 yellow cards, 0 red cards)
• Group stage: Senegal 5-0 Iraq (4 yellow cards, 1 red card)

“Perfect” Taylor lauded for Eriksen reaction

In 2021, in Taylor’s first ever match at a major international tournament, the referee earned praise for his handling of an incident that saw midfielder Christian Eriksen suffer a cardiac arrest. After Eriksen collapsed in the first half of Denmark’s European Championship game against Finland in Copenhagen, Taylor was quick to call for medical attention, having immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.

“Everyone recognised that Anthony was perfect,” UEFA chief refereeing officer Roberto Rosetti later said. “He managed this difficult moment in a great way. We are proud about his behaviour”. Rosetti added: “We recommended to the referees that safety is first, it is the most important target for us. The referees must, and they are ready, stop the match immediately in these situations. Anthony was amazing.”

Eriksen overcame his 2021 collapse to resume his playing career, albeit the 34-year-old is now recovering from a second such incident last month, in a Denmark friendly against Ukraine.

Spain vs Portugal - the match officials:

• Referee: Anthony Taylor, England
• Assistant referee 1: Gary Beswick, England
• Assistant referee 2: Adam Nunn, England
• Fourth official: Felix Zwayer, Germany
• Reserve assistant referee: Robert Kempter, Germany

Spain vs Portugal: how to watch and stream in the U.S.

In the U.S., today’s round-of-16 clash will be available to watch live on Fox Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, Fox One and fubo. You can also follow live-text coverage right here at AS USA.

Related stories

World Cup 2026

When Ronaldo inflicted pain on Spain

World Cup 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup legacy

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.