RabiuFA Releases Full VAR Audio of Valentin Castellanos’ Disallowed Goal in West Ham vs Leeds – Fans Erupt in Fury
The Football Association has taken the unprecedented step of releasing the complete VAR audio from West Ham United’s controversial 2-2 FA Cup draw with Leeds United, intensifying the storm surrounding Valentin Castellanos’ wrongly disallowed goal.
The incident occurred in the 67th minute at the London Stadium on Easter weekend. Castellanos, the Argentine striker who joined West Ham in January for a reported £25 million, appeared to have given the Hammers a 3-2 lead when he steered home a low cross from Jarrod Bowen. Referee Michael Oliver immediately disallowed it for offside, prompting a lengthy VAR check. After more than two minutes, the goal was ruled out.
On Sunday evening, the FA published the unedited audio exchange between the on-field referee, VAR official Simon Hooper, and assistant VAR Darren England. The 90-second clip has gone viral, amassing millions of views within hours.In the recording, Hooper is heard saying, “It’s tight… very tight. I’m not sure he’s interfering.” The VAR team then discusses the offside line for nearly 45 seconds before deciding to disallow the goal, with one official muttering, “We’re going to have to stick with the call – it’s marginal but we’ll go offside.” A brief pause is followed by audible hesitation: “This is going to cause a riot.”
West Ham manager David Moyes called the decision “a disgrace” immediately after the match, while Castellanos himself posted a simple emoji of a crying face on social media. Leeds manager Daniel Farke praised his side’s resilience but declined to comment on the VAR controversy.
The release has triggered widespread uproar among fans, pundits, and even former referees. Supporters on social media have accused the VAR team of “incompetence” and “inconsistency,” pointing out that similar marginal calls have been allowed in recent weeks. Former Premier League official Mark Halsey described the audio as “embarrassing” and said it highlighted ongoing problems with subjective offside decisions.
The FA defended the transparency move, stating it was part of a new initiative to rebuild trust in the technology. However, many fans have called for the officials involved to be stood down for the remainder of the season.
With West Ham still battling relegation fears and Leeds pushing for promotion, the controversy has only added fuel to an already fiery rivalry. Whether the audio changes anything on the pitch remains to be seen – but one thing is clear: the debate over VAR is far from over.
