VAR to be used in all Paulistão Feminino matches for first time | OneFootball

VAR will be used in every match of the Campeonato Paulista Feminino for the first time, with the Federação Paulista de Futebol covering the costs.

According to Meu Timao, the decision was confirmed to the eight clubs on Thursday during the Conselho Técnico at Edifício Pelé, the FPF headquarters in São Paulo.

The tournament becomes the first women’s competition in Brazil to deploy VAR in 100% of fixtures. Until the 2025 edition, the system was used only from the semi-finals.

Clubs unanimously approved a new format. The first phase is a single round-robin of seven rounds, with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. Teams finishing third to sixth contest a two-legged play-off to complete the line-up, and both the semi-finals and final will also be two-legged.

The 2026 field features Corinthians, Ferroviária, Mirassol, Palmeiras, Red Bull Bragantino, Santos, São Paulo and Taubaté. The competition is due to start in early May, with the decider scheduled for December.

Participants were determined under the competition’s Licensing Regulations, which set administrative, sporting and infrastructure criteria for entry to the state’s top tier.

Investment is rising significantly. The new format enables a 64% increase in the average amount paid by the federation to clubs per match. In total, R$ 3 million will be distributed in shares and prize money, with the champions receiving R$ 1.04 million.

Beyond the Paulistão, Corinthians also contest the Campeonato Brasileiro, the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores. Earlier this year, the Brabas finished runners-up in the Copa das Campeãs and the Supercopa do Brasil.

Source: Meu Timao