Understand the impact of VAR on the 2026 Brazilian Championship and what the ranking reveals about Athletico and Mirassol.

The use of video refereeing has been part of the routine in Brazilian football for several seasons, but the discussion about who is more or less "benefited" by VAR continues to rage each round. In the 2026 Brasileirão, a survey released by
ge.globo It showed a detailed ranking of favorable and unfavorable decisions involving all clubs in Serie A.
In this scenario, the Athletico appears in the lead among the teams with the most decisions in their favor, while the Mirassol ‌ emerges at the other end, with the smallest positive balance in the interference of technology.

The analysis of ge It considers reviews of key plays, such as disallowed or validated goals, penalty calls and cancellations, expulsions, and adjustments to yellow and red cards – situations in which the on-field referee is called to the monitor or receives direct guidance from the video team. From this data, it is possible to better understand not only the performance of Athletico and Mirassol in this segment, but also the role of VAR in the balance (or imbalance) of the Brazilian Championship.

How was the VAR review conducted in the 2026 Brazilian Championship and what does it show?

The ranking released by ge.globo compiles VAR decisions throughout the rounds of Brazilian Championship 2026. The methodology, in general, takes into account:

• Number of VAR interventions in each club's matches;
• Plays that resulted in decisions favorable (for example, goal validated after review, penalty awarded, opponent sent off);
• Plays that resulted in decisions unfavorable (goal disallowed, penalty against, sending off a player from his own team);
• A balance or ranking of decisions, indicating who benefited most or was harmed in the overall calculation.

At the top of this ranking is... Athletico, accumulating the highest number of decisions considered favorable after video reviews. Meanwhile, Mirassol, which competes in Serie A and is trying to establish itself among the top teams in the country, appears in flashlight In other words, among the teams that had the fewest positive decisions or that suffered the most from changes in important plays after the use of VAR.

It is important to emphasize that this type of survey does not, in itself, indicate intent or deliberate favoritism. The data shows the effect of the reviews on the life of each club, but does not determine that a team is "protected" or "persecuted" by video refereeing. Still, the practical impact on the Brasileirão standings is undeniable, especially when VAR decisions alter results in balanced matches.

Why does Athletico lead the ranking of favorable VAR decisions?

The fact that Athletico Leading the ranking of favorable VAR decisions in the 2026 Brasileirão is not an isolated fact. Looking at the playing style of the Paraná club and the characteristics of its matches, some factors help explain why the team appears with so many positive plays after the intervention of the technology:

Offensive style and constant presence in the area.

Clubs that attack more, shoot frequently, and stay close to the opponent's area naturally generate a greater number of plays that are subject to review. Handballs, pushes, millimeter-precise offsides, and clashes inside the area end up being submitted to the scrutiny of the video assistant referee (VAR).

If Athletico maintains an aggressive playing style, with advanced full-backs, deep-lying attackers, and midfielders who frequently get forward, it's likely that the volume of decisive plays in dangerous areas will be high. This also increases the situations where VAR can:

• Confirming questionable goals;
• Awarding penalties that were initially ignored on the field;
• To reverse erroneous decisions by the referee, such as an incorrectly called offside.

Well-positioned defense and fewer controversial plays against

The other side of the equation involves defensive behavior. A defensive system with good positioning, fewer hasty tackles, and fewer fouls near the penalty area tends to... reduce the number of reviewed bids that may result in contrary decisions.

Thus, it's not just a matter of Athletico's "luck" with VAR, but also how the team behaves tactically. If the number of controversial plays in their own area is lower, the tendency is for the number of favorable decisions to increase throughout the championship.

Interpretation, context, and discussion with the fans.

Even with the numbers showing Athletico at the top of the ranking of favorable decisions, the interpretation of this data continues to be a topic of debate among fans, journalists, and refereeing experts.

Some plays generate outrage among opponents, while others are seen as clear corrections of on-field errors. Discussions on sports programs and social media show that, although technology attempts to standardize criteria, football still thrives on interpretation – and each fan tends to see the play through the lens of their own club.

Mirassol at the bottom of the table: what does it mean to have few favorable VAR decisions?

At the other end of the ranking, the Mirassol It appears as the team with the fewest favorable decisions from the video assistant referee, or with the most negative balance after reviews. For a club that is still seeking consolidation in the elite, this scenario weighs not only on the table, but also on the confidence of the squad and the fans.

Teams in the process of establishing themselves suffer more with each point lost.

For teams fighting against relegation or battling to stay in the middle of the table, every point is precious. A disallowed goal in a balanced game, a penalty awarded to the opponent in the final minutes, or a sending-off confirmed after video review can directly mean the difference between victory, a draw, and defeat.

When the survey shows Mirassol at the bottom of the ranking of favorable VAR decisions, it is necessary to observe:

• How many of these plays occurred in decisive matches against direct rivals?;
• How much did this impact the accumulated points in the 2026 Brasileirão?;
• Whether there was a tendency towards interpretive plays (e.g., handballs, physical challenges) or more objective ones (offside, ball out of bounds).

Is it a matter of refereeing or a reflection of the dynamics of the games?

When fans see their own team receiving few positive VAR decisions, their natural reaction is usually to distrust the refereeing. But it's basic to differentiate... perception of evidence. A statistical survey shows what happened in numerical terms; interpreting whether this is the product of bad luck, game circumstances, tactical pattern, or refereeing error requires looking at each case individually.

In the case of Mirassol, it is possible that:

• The team has committed more fouls in critical areas of the field;
• It has exposed itself to counter-attacks with plays that carry a high defensive risk;
• Have scored fewer goals in reviewed situations (such as offsides adjusted by VAR).

None of this negates the need for improvement in Brazilian refereeing, but it helps to contextualize why a club might appear with such a negative balance in the video referee statistics.

What the VAR ranking reveals about the 2026 Brazilian Championship and the future of the technology.

The balancing of VAR decisions between clubs is a recurring theme worldwide, not just in Brazil. Brazilian Championship 2026, With Athletico at the top and Mirassol at the bottom of the ranking of favorable decisions, some important reflections arise:

Transparency and communication with the fans

One of the biggest criticisms of VAR in Brazil involves the lack of full transparency in real time: fans rarely hear the complete dialogue between the on-field referee and the VAR booth, and this fuels distrust. (Disclose/Disclose) consolidated figures, such as the ranking presented by ge.globo, This is an important step, as it allows the debate to be based on data, and not just on isolated impressions.

Standardization of criteria

While some decisions are objective (offside by a line, ball out of play, identity of the expelled player), others depend heavily on criteria: handball, intensity of fouls, contact inside the penalty area. The CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) and the refereeing commission have sought to standardize the application of the rules, but the public perception is still one of many inconsistencies.

When one team leads the ranking of favorable decisions and another appears at the bottom, like Athletico and Mirassol, the discussion about criteria gains strength:
The clubs want to understand why similar plays, in different games, sometimes have opposite outcomes.

The importance of separating "benefit" from "error"“

Finally, it is essential to distinguish two things: A favorable decision is not necessarily a mistake in favor.. Often, VAR corrects an erroneous call by the on-field referee and ensures a fair result, which is exactly the function of the technology. The same applies to decisions against a team: they may be correcting an initial mistake that would unfairly favor that club.

Thus, the fact that Athletico has more positive decisions and Mirassol is the club with the fewest beneficial interventions does not, in itself, mean that the championship is "distorted," but rather that the dynamics of the games, the on-field performance, and the circumstances of each play were reflected in the VAR statistics throughout the 2026 Brasileirão.

Conclusion: VAR is here to stay, but the debate needs to evolve.

The survey on the VAR in the 2026 Brazilian Championship, With Athletico leading the ranking of favorable decisions and Mirassol at the bottom, it helps to shed light on a topic that directly affects the emotions, standings, and behind-the-scenes aspects of Brazilian football.
Rather than fueling conspiracy theories, these numbers could be an opportunity to adjust criteria, improve the quality of the debate, and bring fans closer to the reality of refereeing.

And you, what do you think of the impact of VAR on the Brazilian Championship? Do you believe your team has been helped or harmed by the reviews? Leave your opinion in the comments, share the article with friends and participate in the discussion: only with pressure, information and dialogue will Brazilian football be able to use technology in a fairer and more transparent way for everyone.