The first round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has concluded, with the tournament revealing data on its fastest players, generating considerable discussion among fans and analysts alike.
Leading the pack is Australia’s defender Jordan Bos, who recorded an impressive speed of 36.7 km/h, making him the fastest player in the competition to date. Close behind are Manchester City’s forward Erling Haaland and his teammate Abdulkodir Khusanov, both of whom achieved a maximum speed of 36.5 km/h.
One of the tournament’s biggest surprises came with the performance of French forward Kylian Mbappé, who secured ninth place with a speed of 35.1 km/h. This result placed him behind several other players, despite his established reputation as one of the fastest footballers in the world.
Top 10 fastest players of the World Cup (after Round 1):
- Jordan Bos (Australia) — 36.7 km/h
- Erling Haaland (Norway) — 36.5 km/h
- Abdulkodir Khusanov (Uzbekistan) — 36.5 km/h
- Mohamed Toure (Norway) — 35.8 km/h
- Ryan Gravenberch (Netherlands) — 35.6 km/h
- Alan Minda (Ecuador) — 35.6 km/h
- Djed Spence (England) — 35.2 km/h
- Son Heung-min (South Korea) — 35.2 km/h
- Kylian Mbappé (France) — 35.1 km/h
- Pedro Neto (Portugal) — 34.8 km/h