Farai Hallam made a notable debut as a Premier League referee during Manchester City's 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, marking a unique first for the 2025/26 season. In his maiden top-flight game, Hallam became the first referee this campaign to confirm his own decision not to award a penalty despite a VAR review, a move that sparked considerable discussion and criticism.

The incident occurred in the 37th minute when Manchester City attacker Omar Marmoush threatened the Wolves goal. A potential handball by Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera was dismissed by Hallam, who waved play on. VAR Darren England subsequently recommended an on-field review, feeling that Mosquera's left arm could have been in an unnatural position. However, after consulting the pitchside monitor, Hallam stood firm, retaining his original decision of no penalty to Manchester City. The Premier League Match Centre confirmed his announcement: "After review, the ball hits the arm of the Wolves player, which is in a natural position, so the on-field decision will remain."

Former Select Group referee Andy Davies, in his VAR Review for ESPN, analyzed Hallam's decision and concluded that the debutant referee was wrong. Davies stated that the pictures clearly showed the Wolves defender's arm in an unnatural position, meeting the criteria for a handball offense. He elaborated that a player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the hand/arm position is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, their body movement, thereby taking a risk of being penalized. Davies expressed certainty that Hallam would reflect on the review post-match, deeming it a "clear handball offense" given current guidance and interpretation.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola launched a scathing attack on referees following the match, expressing his frustration over Hallam's decision to overrule VAR. Guardiola suggested that his team needed all their best players fit to overcome the impact of what he perceived as poor officiating. He sarcastically noted Hallam's "huge debut" and highlighted that it was the first time a referee went to the TV and disallowed what he considered a "normal" arm position. Guardiola's anger extended to other recent incidents, including Anthony Taylor's decision not to issue a red card to Diogo Dalot in a previous match, and he challenged Howard Webb to publicly explain the controversial calls.

Despite the VAR controversy, Manchester City secured a comfortable 2-0 win over Wolves, ending a challenging run of results. Goals from Omar Marmoush, who was in for the rested Erling Haaland, and Antoine Semenyo sealed the victory. Marmoush opened the scoring within six minutes, and Semenyo added a second just before halftime, restoring order for the defending champions and putting pressure back on league leaders Arsenal.

Farai Hallam's journey to the Premier League illustrates a different path to the elite level. He originally aspired to be a footballer, spending time in the Stevenage academy before being released at 18. Hallam subsequently transitioned to refereeing, telling League Football Education a decade ago that it offers "another good option for young players if they fall out of the game." He emphasized that a playing background provides a significant advantage, fostering better communication with players, instinctive decision-making, and an ability to relate to game situations from a player's perspective. Hallam believes there's a "massive opportunity in refereeing for players" due to this unique insight.