Social media growth of players during the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America led to significant social media growth for several players. New Zealand defender Tim Payne saw his follower count rise from 5,000 to 2 million overnight after an endorsement by Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini, eventually reaching 5.5 million. Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha, aged 40, gained 29.4 million followers during the tournament, rising from a baseline of 30,000. Erling Haaland ultimately finished as the player with the highest social media growth during the competition. Haaland added 32.1 million followers, increasing his total from 40.6 million to 72.7 million. His surge occurred as he led Norway to the quarterfinals, where the team was eliminated by England. These figures reflect the substantial influence of both individual players and the World Cup event on digital engagement.