Global AWS outage affects Premier League match between West Ham and Brentford

Last Updated on 21 October 2025

In a night where football met technology’s worst nightmare, the Premier League’s semi-automated offside system went dark.

A global Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage sent shockwaves through Premier League’s top flight and West Ham’s clash with Brentford became the unlucky testing ground.

Amid the digital chaos, football carried on. West Ham struggled as the Bees stung, and one disallowed goal turned into a major talking point. Less for controversy, more for football’s growing dependence on technology.

Internet outage leaves VAR without key technology during Premier League match

The Premier League confirmed ahead of kick-off that, due to a worldwide AWS crash, semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) would be unavailable for at least part of the game.

That meant no real-time tracking of players’ limbs and no instant offside graphics. Instead, VAR officials had to draw their own lines, manually reviewing Brentford’s late first-half goal, eventually ruling Igor Thiago offside after a lengthy delay.

Premier League later clarified SAOT was reinstated for the second half once systems recovered. But for nearly 45 minutes, fans, players, and officials were reminded of just how fragile modern football’s technology really is.

Fortunately, despite having to make the decision without the latest technology, VAR got Thiago’s offside correct.

West Ham break unwanted 94 year old record after loss to Brentford

Igor Thiago scored just minutes before half time to put the Bees ahead at the London Stadium. The second half also saw one-side traffic as Brentford came close to doubling the lead on numerous occasions.

However, it was a late goal from Mathias Jensen in the 5th minute of stoppage time that sealed the win. That meant West Ham have lost five consecutive matches at home, for the first time since 1931.

The five losses mean that the Hammers have lost all four games at home this season, and also lost their final home game of the last campaign to Nottingham Forest.

Jamie Carragher of Sky Sports slammed the performance as fans booed their team off at the full time whistle.