Croatia most harmed by VAR decisions at 2026 World Cup

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, VAR was employed 35 times – up from 26 in 2022 and 22 in 2018. Analyses from World Visualized and the NetSI Sport research group show that Croatia recorded the highest rate of VAR interventions against it, with 6.5 adverse decisions per 100 fouls. By contrast, Mexico (7.8) and Argentina (6.7) had the greatest number of VAR calls in their favour. Bosnia‑Herzegovina recorded no VAR decisions that worked against them, while Iran (5.4) and Qatar (5.1) also featured among the most negatively affected teams. The data do not prove systematic bias; a higher intervention rate can simply reflect matches in which on‑field referees missed more incidents that later required VAR review. The findings have intensified debate among fans and pundits about the impact of video‑assisted refereeing on Croatia’s tournament performance.