Nottingham Forest disputes VAR decision on Neco Williams handball goal

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 6, 2026, 10:40 AM

Last updated Sep 6, 2026

Nottingham Forest disputes VAR decision on Neco Williams handball goal

Summary

Nottingham Forest maintains its disagreement with a VAR ruling that disallowed a goal scored by Neco Williams. The decision, overseen by VAR official Peter Bankes and referee Craig Pawson, rested on a factual determination that the ball touched Williams' arm before entering the net. Williams claims the ball made contact only with his head, a perspective shared by manager Oliver Glasner and many supporters. Unlike subjective penalty calls, this review relied on finding definitive proof of the handball contact. The incident highlights ongoing scrutiny regarding officiating thresholds and the consistency of VAR interventions. Rules dictate that any contact with the arm by a goalscorer results in the goal being ruled out, differentiating this incident from other recent handball rulings involving deflected shots.

Source Links

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Key Details

•Neco Williams contests that the ball hit his head rather than his arm.
•VAR official Peter Bankes disallowed the goal based on a factual review.
•Rules require a goal be ruled out if the scorer makes any contact with the arm.
•Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner expressed disagreement with the final decision.

Latest Updates

10:40 AMYahoo Sports — This is not about a clear and obvious error

What they're saying

"
The biggest issue with judging handball is often determining if the ball did actually hit the arm, and that is the crux of Nottingham Forest's argument. Neco Williams is adamant the ball came off his head and did not touch his hand, evidence which of course would not be available to the VAR. It is a factual overturn so the VAR, Peter Bankes, is looking for definitive proof.
— Yahoo Sports

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